Making Sense Of Your Pain
Persistent pain is pain that lasts longer than 3 months and falls outside of the normal tissue healing time. This means that the tissue may be fully healed however pain is still present. Persistent pain is very common and affects one in five people over the age of 45 in Australia.
Whilst nobody ever likes to be in pain, pain is an essential part of living and is used as a protective mechanism against further injury or damage to the body. Persistent pain occurs when there is communication breakdown between the brain, and body’s senses.
It is important to note that all pain experiences are real, and that pain affects everybody in different ways. Your pain journey is unique to you!
Learning about pain is one of the most effective strategies in managing persistent pain. Below are 3 key points to assist you with your pain management.
Pain does not always equal damage
Previously it was thought that the greater the tissue damage, the greater level of pain experienced however, this is not always the case. Some people can have normal x-ray and scans yet still experience pain and some people can have abnormal x-rays and have no pain at all.
Although you may feel pain in a particular part of your body, you can take comfort in knowing that this doesn’t mean that there is further damage being done to your body. Instead, it’s more likely that your pain system is currently overactive, as your brain is telling your body it is in danger, even if that’s not necessarily true.
2. Thoughts, emotions, and experiences affect pain
Pain is very complex and involves a wide range of contributing factors. Research shows that it’s not just the tissue itself but also our thoughts, emotions, and past experiences that can influence pain.
Previously, it was believed that we should only focus on the injured area itself, however the new approach for managing persistent pain looks at treating the person as a whole. This involves taking into consideration the individual’s social context, attitudes and beliefs, and emotions and coping skills.
For example, two people may have the exact same injury, however if one person has a more positive outlook and greater coping skills, then they are more likely to see improvements in pain and function compared to someone with a negative outlook and poor coping skills.
3. The pain system is adaptable
If you are experiencing persistent pain, then your pain system may currently be in an overprotective and oversensitive state as the brain senses there is danger.
The good news is that the pain senses in our body only live for 3-5 days, meaning new senses are constantly being created. This means that your pain sensitivity is always changing, and you have control over your pain.
Movement is a great way to strengthen your pain system as it gradually increases the body’s tolerance to pain. Addressing contributing factors such as stress, sleep and anxiety can also assist with strengthening this pain system.