Prepare a short “lecture” of not longer than 5 minutes (200 words), explaining to a patient what pain is, its possible causes, why different people experience pain differently and what the generally important principles of pain management and referral involve. The videos above will also be of value to complete this assignment. 

What is pain?

Pain is an uncomfortable sensory and emotional experience associated with tissue damage (actual or potential). You get acute pain, such as a migraine and chronic pain such as cancer pain.

Causes of pain:

Pain is in many cases caused by a specific injury or medical condition. In other instances, the cause of the pain may be unknown.

Some common causes of pain include: headache, toothache, sore throat, stomach cramps, muscle cramps, cuts, burns, bruises and fractures in bone

Many illnesses, such as the flu, arthritis, endometriosis, and fibromyalgia, can cause pain. “Depending on the underlying cause, you may develop other symptoms as well. For example, these may include fatigue, swelling, nausea, vomiting, or mood changes” (Gabbey, 2021).

Why different people experience pain differently?

“The reason why some people are more sensitive than others comes down to how our body modulates pain, from the skin to the brain, and the structure of the brain itself”. Sensory receptors, known as nociceptors,  detect an unpleasant stimuli. “These are transformed into pain signals that are then conducted throughout the central nervous system” (Brancatisano, 2016). Some people have a high tolerance for pain while other people don’t.

Principles of pain management:

• Providing treatment that reduces the pain with few side effects.
• While being able to maintain daily activities as well as preventing acute pain from progressing to chronic pain.

Referral:

‘Injuries that cause immediate swelling and severe pain, those that create popping or crunching noises, or those that cause an inability to support weight are all situations where you need prompt medical attention. Leaving the injury despite the pain may cause additional damage” (Valley Pain Centers, 2021) .

References:

Brancatisano, E.  2016.  Why Do Some People Feel Pain Differently? https://www.huffingtonpost.com.au/2016/10/10/why-do-some-people-feel-pain-differently_a_21577905/#:~:text=The%20reason%20why%20some%20people,nociceptors)%20detecting%20an%20unpleasant%20stimuli.  Date of access: 27 May 2021.

Gabbey, A.E.  2021 .Everything You Need To Know About Pain.  https://www.healthline.com/health/pain#treatment  Date of access: 27 May 2021.

Valley Pain Centers.  2021.  How Long Should You Power Through Pain Before Seeking Medical Help?  https://www.valleypaincenters.com/blog/how-long-should-you-power-through-pain-before-seeking-medical-help#:~:text=Injuries%20that%20cause%20immediate%20swelling,pain%20may%20cause%20additional%20damage.  Date of access: 27 May 2021.