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Pain is one of our body’s first warning signals when something bad is happening. It usually passes quickly after administration of painkillers, but if it lasts longer, it has a negative effect on our body. Long-term pain reduces immunity and even causes depression. More and more people complain of pain and need professional help to deal with it.

Prolonged pain is recognized today as a disease. Pain accompanies a person from the first moments of life. Headaches, migraines or backaches are a problem for many people. Unfortunately, chronic pain is still not treated properly in most cases. How can those who suffer from it be relieved?

Pain – types

Usually, we fight pain with the means available that bring us relief. However, remember that pain is usually good because it signals the development of various diseases or warns of dangers. However, if we suffer from pain for a long time, it is necessary to find its cause. Chronic pain makes us distracted, unable to sleep, tired, broken, and even depressed if left untreated.

Types of pain:

  1. acute pain – pain that is short-lived and disappears when the cause is removed. It is useful because it forces you to find the cause of it quickly. Remember that acute pain disappears after treatment, e.g. tooth extraction. If the pain continues, it’s not a good sign
  2. chronic pain – chronic pain is one that lasts more than 3 months. It occurs during many different ailments. It accompanies people suffering from degenerative changes in joints, rheumatism, migraines, neuralgia, and cancer. It does not have to be continuous, but it appears every day for a few hours or several times a week or a month. Most importantly, it reduces the quality of life.

Pain – the mechanism of action

The most common pain is receptor pain. It appears as a result of irritation of pain receptors in the human body. Such an impulse from pain receptors is sent by nerves to the spinal cord and the cerebral cortex, where pain is perceived (sensed).

This mechanism would not work without substances such as, for example, prostaglandins. They are produced at the site of the injury and they strengthen the pain impulse, increasing the perception of pain.

Neuropathic pain affects approximately 1% of all pain cases. These include radicular pain, phantom pain, e.g. from an amputated arm or leg, post-herpetic neuralgia and diabetic neuropathy. Pain then means that the nervous system has been damaged. The pain is burning and very difficult to treat. Unfortunately, treatment of neuropathic pain only brings relief in 60% of cases.

Pain – effect on the body

Chronic pain is a disease. It is difficult to treat because we treat both the cause and the pain itself. Pain that lasts too long leads to chronic stress. The operation of all systems is disrupted. People suffering from chronic pain develop insomnia, lack of appetite, irritability and apathy. Over time, there are changes in the nervous system and psyche. Such a person’s entire life is focused on pain, and he or she loses all the joy of life.

Pain – immunity

Pain is not felt equally by all people. It is accompanied not only by feeling, but also by emotions. Often the same stimulus produces radically different responses. The pain threshold is very individual.

Pain is also tolerated differently, and each of us has a different sensitivity to pain. Often, our perception of pain is influenced by previous experiences, but also by the weather, time of day or mood. The perception of pain is also influenced by stress and the levels of testosterone and progesterone.

The pain intensity is measurable. The NRS scale is used to measure pain, consisting of 11 degrees from 0 to 10. On this scale, 0 means that nothing hurts us, and 10 means that the pain is unbearable.

Pain – treatment

Fighting pain isn’t always easy. Pharmacological methods are most often used. We usually reach for painkillers ourselves. However, remember that they should not be abused. It is worth choosing drugs individually, because the same substance may have different effects on different people.

When selecting painkillers, the doctor uses the analgesic ladder:

  1. mild pain (NRS 1-4) – in the case of such pain, paracetamol and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs that have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect are administered,
  2. moderate pain (NRS 5-6) – usually weak opioids, e.g. codeine, DHC and tramadol,
  3. severe pain (NRS 7-10) – strong opioids are given that act on the central nervous system, i.e. the brain and spinal cord. These include morphine, fentanyl, buprenophine, methadone, and oxycodone.

The synergistic effects of different drugs are often used in the treatment of pain. By combining drugs that work differently, better therapeutic results are often achieved.

Pain – alternative treatment

Pain treatment is supported by other, more invasive methods, such as blockades. These procedures are performed in about 15-20% of patients with chronic pain.

Pain treatment therapies are also supported by physical therapy, which will improve the patient’s blood supply and reduce muscle tension. Another way to relieve articular pains is to exercise to relax, stretch, relax and strengthen the core muscles. However, it should be remembered that the doctor should choose both treatments and exercises.

In the treatment of pain, psychotherapy and alternative medicine, such as acupuncture, are also recommended. Some patients may find relief from surgery, in which, for example, a diseased joint or a damaged disc is replaced. In extreme cases, doctors decide to cut the nerves that carry pain or destroy the entire brain structures responsible for chronic pain.

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