There is no doubt that most of us are not a big fan of pain. However, it is considered as one of the most important communication tools of the body. For example, what would happen if you felt nothing after putting your hand on a hot stove? Pain tells you that something is wrong and that you need to act on it right away.

People do not like pain because it can cause an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience. It happens due to several reasons and each of us has different ways of coping with it. The pain that you can live or work through may be incapacitating to some people. This means that pain varies from person-to-person and each one of us has different coping mechanisms than the other.

Even though that pain can be different for every person, it can still be categorized. Here are a few examples of the common types of pain and how they distinguish from one another from your Vacaville Chiropractors:

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Common Types of Pain in Vacaville

ACUTE AND CHRONIC PAIN

There are different ways that pain can be categorized. It can be classified as either acute or chronic pain.

• Acute pain is the one that comes on suddenly and only lasts a limited time. It is normally caused by damage to the tissues such as the bone, organs, and muscles, and it can sometimes come with anxiety or emotional distress.
• Chronic pain can last longer and is somewhat resistant to medical treatment. It is also associated with a long-term illness like osteoarthritis. There are cases where it is a defining characteristic of a specific disease. Chronic pain can be caused by damaged tissue, but it is mostly attributable to nerve damage.

Acute and chronic pain can be debilitating and can get affected by the person's state of mind. However, the nature of chronic pain can make the person suffering from it to be more susceptible to psychological consequences like anxiety and depression. Having psychological distress can also intensify the pain.

70% of individuals with chronic pain that have been treated with pain medication have experienced episodes of breakthrough pain. Breakthrough pain happens when someone uses pain medication regularly and are still experiencing flares of pain. There are instances where it happens spontaneously during insignificant events like rolling over in bed. It can also be caused by wearing off pain medication especially before your next dose.

PAIN CAUSED BY TISSUE DAMAGE

Nerves are comparable to cables transmitting signals, where they send pain signals to and from the brain. Damage to the nerves can interfere with the transmission and will instead send out abnormal pain signals. For example, you will feel a burning sensation on a specific area even though it is not being triggered by any form of heat.

There are different ways that nerves can be damaged. It is commonly caused by a disease such as diabetes or be inflicted by trauma. Some types of chemotherapy drugs can also cause nerve damage. The pain that stems from nerve damage can be a result of central nervous system (CNS) damage, which consists of the brain and spinal cord.

The pain caused by nerve damage is described as either burning or prickling. Some people even feel like an electric shock has coursed through their body while others experience a stabbing sensation. Having nerve damage can also make you hypersensitive to touch and temperature.

Most cases of neuropathic pain are chronic. Having damaged nerves can make you experience all sorts of pain, including:

• Central pain syndrome - This syndrome is caused by chronic pain that is a result of central nervous system damage. The damage can be caused by tumors, MS, stroke, and several other conditions. Pain can be constant and severe, which affects a huge portion of the body or is targeted on a single area like the hands or feet. The pain can worsen through emotions, movement, touch, and temperature changes.
• Trigeminal neuralgia - This is a painful condition that is caused by inflammation of a facial nerve. The pain can be intense, and it commonly happens on the eyes, nose, cheek, chin, gums, lips, scalp, and forehead on one side of the face. It can be offset by a slight motion or touching a trigger area.
• Diabetic peripheral neuropathic pain - This nerve damage pain occurs in the arms, hands, legs, or feet and is caused by diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy patients experience all sorts of pain including burning, stabbing, and tingling.
• Shingles and postherpetic neuralgia - Shingles is a localized infection that is caused by the same virus as chickenpox. The rash and associated pain can be debilitating and can happen on one side of the body that is right along the nerve path. Postherpetic neuralgia is a common complication in which the pain caused by the shingles can last for more than a month.