On Pain

Physical pain is a critical language the body speaks to tell the brain about danger in our environment.

Acute pain has a purpose, to alert you that something is going on, and possibly to remove yourself from the situation.

Everyone has heard the saying, “no pain, no gain,” but few understand what pain is and how to interpret it in a way that is beneficial rather than harmful when training and practicing any physical endeavor, like karate.

Pain is the early warning system of the human body and when pain arrives it is warning of the danger to harm of the body.

The moment one registers pain, it signals the stop and back off trigger. It is that threshold of benefit to damage and we must avoid damage.

It comes down to the balance of yin and yang, to know our limitations while stretching our training and practice to move that pain threshold to higher levels. 

Taking it right up to the threshold trains the mind and body and incrementally shifts the threshold to greater abilities. Maybe this is what is truly meant by no pain, no gain.

Find your threshold, push it just enough to move it and gain more because taking it deeper into the realm of pain does more harm than good.

Note: pain is the cognitive blanket, no two people have the same response to the same damage or injury.

Note: there is both physical and emotional pain that follow similar neural pathways.  

Note: pain is a critical communication tool the body and brain use to help you safely navigate the world and learn to avoid harmful experiences in the future. It’s also how our species adapts. 

Note: it trains us to notice and perceive patterns in the world around us that are invisible to others.

Note: BEWARE of CTE that arise from mild blows to the head because such trauma of a repetitive nature, lead to this brain disease that “keeps progressing” even after the hits stop.

Note: “Mind-blanking” during wakeful mind-blanking one’s brain exhibits the kind of low-wave activity that normally happens during sleep. When you ask someone what they are thinking and they say, “nothing” remember mind-blanking!

Know what pain is; know how to detect the type and heed the bodies warning by visiting the links provided and read the cliff notes that follow.

———-

Acute pain

Acute pain is short-term pain that comes on suddenly and has a specific cause, usually tissue injury. 

Acute pain tends to start out sharp or intense before gradually improving.

Chronic pain

Pain that lasts for more than six months, even after the original injury has healed, is considered chronic.

Nociceptive pain

Nociceptive pain is the most common type of pain. It’s caused by stimulation of nociceptors, which are pain receptors for tissue injury.

You have nociceptors throughout your body, especially in your skin and internal organs. When they’re stimulated by potential harm, such as a cut or other injury, they send electrical signals to your brain, causing you to feel the pain.

This type of pain you usually feel when you have any type of injury or inflammation. Nociceptive pain can be either acute or chronic. It can also be further classified as being either visceral or somatic.

Visceral pain

Visceral pain results from injuries or damage to your internal organs. You can feel it in the trunk area of your body, which includes your chest, abdomen, and pelvis. It’s often hard to pinpoint the exact location of visceral pain.

Visceral pain is often described as:

• pressure
• aching
• squeezing
• cramping

You may also notice other symptoms such as nausea or vomiting, as well as changes in body temperature, heart rate, or blood pressure.

Somatic

Somatic pain results from stimulation of the pain receptors in your tissues, rather than your internal organs. This includes your skin, muscles, joints, connective tissues, and bones. It’s often easier to pinpoint the location of somatic pain rather than visceral pain.

Somatic pain usually feels like a constant aching or gnawing sensation.

It can be further classified as either deep or superficial:

For example, a tear in a tendon will cause deep somatic pain, while a canker sore on your inner check causes superficial somatic pain.

Examples of somatic pain include:

• bone fractures
• strained muscles
• connective tissue diseases, such as osteoporosis
• cancer that affects the skin or bones
• skin cuts, scrapes, and burns
• joint pain, including arthritis pain

Read more about the differences between somatic and visceral pain.

Neuropathic pain

Neuropathic pain results from damage to or dysfunction of your nervous system. This results in damaged or dysfunctional nerves misfiring pain signals. This pain seems to come out of nowhere, rather than in response to any specific injury.

You may also feel pain in response to things that aren’t usually painful, such as cold air or clothing against your skin.

Neuropathic pain is described as:

• burning
• freezing
• numbness
• tingling
• shooting
• stabbing
• electric shocks

Other tips for talking about pain

Pain is a very personal experience that varies from person to person. What feels very painful to one person may only feel like mild pain to another. And other factors, such as your emotional state and overall physical health, can play a big role in how you feel pain.

Describing your pain accurately can make it easier for your doctor to find the cause of your pain and recommend the right treatment. If possible, write down details of your pain before your appointment to help you be as clear as possible.

Be sure to use words that best describes the type of pain you feel.

Here are a few words to consider using:

• burning
• sharp
• dull
• intense
• aching
• cramping
• shooting
• stabbing
• gnawing
• gripping
• pressure
• heavy
• tender
• prickly
• stinging

Bibliography:

https://www.healthline.com/health/types-of-pain#other-considerations

National Geographic Special Edition dtd June to September 2022. Chapter 3 “Hurt Brains Hurt People”