Defining Pain
Not All Pain is Alike
Just as there are different types of arthritis, there are also different types of pain. Even your own pain may vary from day to day.
Each person needs a pain management plan. What works for one person may not work for someone else. You may need to try several different treatments before you find the one that works for you.
The Purpose of Pain
Pain is your body's alarm system that tells you something is wrong. When your body is injured, nerves in the affected area release chemical signals. Other nerves send these signals to your brain, where they are recognized as pain.
Pain often tells you that you need to act. For example, if you touch a hot stove, pain signals from your brain make you pull your hand away. This type of pain helps protect you.
Long-lasting pain, like the kind that accompanies arthritis or fibromyalgia, is different. While it tells you that something is wrong, it often isn't as easy to relieve. Managing this type of pain is essential to enhance your quality of life and sense of well-being.
Different Reactions to Pain
People react differently to pain for several reasons. Physical factors include the sensitivity of your nervous system and the severity of your arthritis. Emotional and social factors include your fears and anxieties about pain, previous experiences with pain, energy level, attitude about your condition and the way people around you react to pain.
Many people with arthritis have found that by learning and practicing pain management skills, they can reduce their pain.
How the Body Controls Pain
Pain signals travel through a system of nerves in your brain and spinal cord. At times, your body tries to stop these signals by creating chemicals that help block pain signals. These chemicals, called endorphins, are morphine-like painkilling substances that decrease the pain sensation.
Different factors cause the body to produce endorphins. One example is your own thoughts and emotions. For example, a father who is driving his children is hurt in a car accident. He is so worried about his children that he doesn't feel the pain of his own broken arm. The concern for his children has caused the natural release of endorphins, which block the pain signal and prevent him from noticing the pain.
The body also produces endorphins in response to external factors, such as medicine. Codeine is one example of a powerful pain-blocking medication. Other external pain control methods, such as heat and cold treatments, can stimulate the body to either release endorphins or block pain signals in other ways.
Want more information?
- Learn more about pain and how the body controls it.
- Learn more about the causes of pain.
- Learn more about research into pain and psychosocial health.
- Learn about actions you can take and tips for managing your pain.
- Find out some of the preventive meassures that can help ease pain.
- Discover other resources for dealing with arthritis pain.
- For disease specific information, visit the Disease Center.
- Connect with others in the Arthritis Foundation community.
- Find out about the latest in arthritis research.
- For information on living with arthritis, read Arthritis Today.
The Pain Center is brought to you by a grant from Thermacare.
