What is Pain?

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Webster’s Dictionary defines pain as a “localized physical suffering associated with bodily disorder (as a disease or an injury).”

Pain originally meant revenge, penalty or punishment. You feel pain in many ways. It is a part of your life. And while it may not be pleasant and is something to be avoided, how you respond to pain often determines how you feel later on.

What is Pain?

As a physical therapist, I am an expert in helping people handle pain. When someone comes in suffering from pain one of the first questions I ask is: “Is pain good or bad?” Most people answer “Bad”. A small percentage will say pain is a good thing. They say, “It is a sign, an indicator.”

Take a look at this … Your body has five senses:

1. Sight

2. Sound

3. Taste

4. Smell

5. Touch

You see with our eyes. You can see things which are bad and affect you in negative ways. You can receive pleasant sights such as seeing a loved one or a picture of a past family vacation which brings back fond memories.

You hear with your ears. You can hear bad things which disturb you emotionally. You can hear soothing sounds which relax you such as your favorite music. You taste with the taste buds on your tongue.

You can taste things which are bitter such as a lemon. You can taste things which are sweet such as a piece of chocolate.

You smell with your nose. You can smell a bad odor such as a skunk. You can smell something pleasant such as flowers.

What is Pain?

You touch with your skin. You can sense heat, cold, pressure, and pain with your skin. Some touch is pleasant such as a massage or a pat on the back. Some sensations are not pleasant such as lower back pain.

 So with each sense, there is information being sent to your brain. It may be good or bad or somewhere in between. The information helps you respond and take appropriate action.

What happens when you lose a sense? Loss of the ability to see is blindness. Loss of the ability to hear is deafness.

There is a name for a condition in which a person loses their sense of touch.

Do you know what it is? Leprosy. A person with leprosy, or leper, suffers nerve damage. This nerve damage prevents them from feeling pain and damage to the body.

A healthy person steps on a nail, feels terrible and gets the nail out of their foot. They receive the signal of pain and can take the right action. A person with leprosy, steps on a nail and does not feel pain. They may continue to walk and cause more damage. They do not feel pain and do not take the right action.

So be thankful you can feel pain!

Spine Pain Myths That Might be Keeping You In Pain

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Misconceptions about spine pain are common due to the numerous theories that are out there, most of which are coming from people who don’t really know what they are talking about.

Let’s dissect some of the most common spine pain myths:

  • If you rest, the pain will dissipate – To a certain extent it is true, but if you rest continuously, it will have a reverse effect.  Constant inactivity increases the pain tremendously.
  • The spine is injured easily due to sensitive nerves – Barring certain cases, you have to indulge in exercising and aerobics to keep the muscles of the back active and functioning properly.
  • The pain is agonizing, therefore it must be ongoing spine damage – The intensity of the pain is not necessarily directly related to the extent of  the injury.  Severe cases of slipped discs may not produce any pain initially, but a slight degeneration can cause a lot of pain.

To get more info about different types of pains and aches, and how you can make them go away, visit the Madden Physical Therapy Clinic. Make sure to view some of our videos of before and after patients at www.youtube.com/maddenptofficial.

5 Ways To Prevent Back Pain

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There are several things you can do to prevent pain.  Prevention means you can stop the pain before you ever feel it, which is ideal.  Of course, there will be times when you have an injury that requires treatment and for that we will always be here for you.  Here are five things you can do to prevent back pain.

1. Pay attention to your posture.
Maintaining good posture when you’re both standing and sitting can be essential to preventing back pain. When you have good posture, the spine is in proper alignment, relaxing the muscles and making it easier to balance your body.

2. Remember to stretch.
Regular stretching exercises help to keep the muscles and ligaments in your back flexible. Overall, stretching prevents muscle strain and soreness, and helps to prevent further injuries.

3. Sleep smart.
Sleeping on your back may be the best way to sleep to prevent back pain. If you sleep on your side, place a pillow between your legs, and if you sleep on your stomach, place a pillow underneath your stomach to add support.

4. Keep moving.
Avoid standing or sitting in the same position for long periods of time, which puts stress on your back. Moving, in contrast, keeps the back muscles and joints loose.

5. Be smart.
Remember, an injury to the back can be costly and extremely painful. So seek out activities that will help you maintain a healthy and strong back, and avoid ones that could cause strain or stress.

For more ideas and the full article Click Here.