For many adults in Washington DC, pain is a very common type of condition. Unfortunately, as people become older, the prevalence of pain becomes more commonplace, and it is something that most of us will experience at some point in our life.
Table of Contents
The Types
When it comes to pain, there are two main types that most people experience. These include the following:
- Chronic pain – this continues well beyond the typical healing time for a medical condition or injury. It typically lasts in excess of three months but can go on for much longer, especially if left untreated.
- Acute pain – this is a normal response by your body to medical conditions or injuries. It typically starts really suddenly and is only ever short lived.
Pain may consist of anything ranging from a very dull ache, all the way through to a sharp stabbing type pain that is very strong. It can either be present in a particular part of your body or it can be more widespread and across all parts.
Management Strategies
The latest evidence suggests that an individual’s emotional well being has a direct impact on how they experience pain. By understanding pain and learning the best ways to cope with it can really improve a person’s way of life when living with chronic pain. Key strategies for pain management washington dc include attending community support groups, partaking in acupuncture, doing psychological therapies, doing physical therapies, and taking pain medication.
The Causes
Whilst there are numerous different things that can cause pain, the most common are surgery, injury, and certain medical conditions, such as back problems, arthritis, and cancer.
The Affects
Pain is a very complex bodily mechanism and is actually an essential part of our evolution as it protects us from harm and / or danger.
Pain receptors within the human body are attached to two different types of danger detecting nerves. One of these is responsible for relaying quick messages, which results in sudden sharp pain, such as from a fall. The other one sends slower messages and so causes a more throbbing or dull pain.
There are some parts of the human body that have more pain receptors than others. For instance, skin has many main receptors, which is why it is so easy to pinpoint the type and location of the pain when it occurs three. However, the gut has very few pain receptors, which makes pinpointing the exact location of something like a stomach ache.
When a pain receptor becomes activated on the skin (through touching something that is sharp or hot), nerves send alerts all the way along the spinal cord and to a part of the human brain known as the thalamus.
In some certain instances, the brain sends a message back immediately that works to make the muscles contract, thus moving that body part out of the way of danger. This reflex reaction prevents any further damage being sustained and often happens before any pain is felt.