The Depth and Breadth of Pain

Abstract

No poison can kill a positive thinker and no medicine can cure a negative thinker. Pain is a complex perceptual experience. Pain is a major public health problem. Beat back pain without surgery and conquer pain without painkillers. Delays have dangerous ends. Knee braces invite injury. Chronic pain affects one in three people in the United States. There are more Americans suffering from chronic pain than with diabetes, heart disease, and cancer combined. Chronic pain is caused by degeneration, illnesses, injuries, surgeries, and treatment side effects. Pain is a major public health problem and is the most common reason why Americans use complementary and integrative health practices. Recent imaging evidence suggests a possible hypothalamic origin for a headache attack, but further research is needed. A migraine is associated with a modest increase in the risk of ischemic stroke. The etiology for this association remains unclear. They interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain and nervous system to produce pleasurable effects and relieve pain. Codeine is a naturally occurring opioid that is a weak analgesic compared to morphine. It should be used only for mild-to-moderate pain. The ideal treatment of any pain is to remove the cause. Some conditions are so painful that rapid and effective angina is essential (e.g., post-operative state, burns, trauma, cancer, and sickle cell crisis). Analgesic mediators are the first line of treatment in these cases and all practitioners should be familiar with their use.