Does the Type of Pain Really Matter?
It’s deceivingly 
difficult to simply classify the type of pain, yet it is a crucial piece of information to gaining effective treatment. But, first, an important concept to remember: Pain is our body’s most important communication tool. Always stop and consider what your body is telling you so you can understand why the pain is happening.
Pain can be categorized as acute or chronic. Acute pain usually occurs suddenly with a “short” duration. Stress and anxiety typically accompany acute pain events. Usually associated with a long term condition or illness, chronic pain lasts longer than acute pain and can be somewhat resistant to treatment. Chronic pain can be associated with tissue damage, but is usually associated with a nervous system insult. Because of the length and nature of chronic pain, depression, anxiety or other peripheral issues can develop, making treatment extremely complex. About 70% of people that experience chronic pain will experience breakthrough pain episodes periodically.
Another way to classify pain is by the damage caused:
- Nociceptive Pain: caused by tissue damage.
- Neuropathic Pain: caused by nerve damage.
- Psychogenic Pain: can be tissue or nerve origin, but this type of pain may be intensified, prolonged, or originated because of psychological factors.
Most pain originates from tissue damage. Tissues include organs, soft tissue (think muscle, tendons, skin, etc) and bone. The source of the injury can be a disease or a physical injury. The resulting pain is usually described as stabbing, aching, or throbbing. This type of pain can be constant or intermittent. Tissue damage pain may also be acute or chronic. Sometimes the pain may intensify with movement, laughter, or breathing, depending on the injury location.
Nerve pain is a totally different animal and is usually chronic. Think of nerves as electrical cables transmitting signals from the brain to the body. Nerve damage causes signal interference and miscommunication. This creates abnormal pain signals. For example, you may feel a burning sensation when there is no heat source. Nerve pain is typically described as burning, prickling, tingling, pins and needles, electrical shock, or stabbing. Nerve pain can create a sensitivity to even the slightest touch depending on the location of the pain and can be intensify with movement, emotion, touch or temperature change.
The cause of nerve pain is extremely varied with the most common causes below:
- Diabetes
- Trauma
- Chemotherapy
- Stroke
- Fibromyalgia
- HIV/AIDS
- Brain/spinal cord injury
- Multiple sclerosis
- Tumors
- Severe inflammation
- Infection
Think about your pain. Quickly answer these questions:
- When/where does the pain occur?
- How would you describe it?
- How would you score the intensity?
- Have you received a diagnosis?
Keep this basic information with you. As I cover natural options over the coming weeks, I will make sure to include what types of pain respond best. You will be surprised how many options can successfully manage pain without opioid prescriptions or can lessen the amount of medication needed to control pain.
Are you open minded? Are you ready to try something new?
