What is Pain?
A person feels pain when something hurts, usually a result of injury or illness. It can be felt in a variety of ways such as a headache and can have other symptoms including lightheadedness and sluggishness. Pain can also make a person feel sick to their stomach and experience constipation, nausea or to lose muscle strength.
Pain can be physically debilitating and it can also cause changes in a person's mood and alter the way they view the world around them. Mood changes as a result of feeling pain can include depressive symptoms, changes in emotions and temperament and may even cause a person to have thoughts of suicide.
Feelings of frequent pain can also affect a person's general way of life and common activities. It can have a negative impact on the way a person interacts with their friends and family, their job and caring for themselves.
The symptoms and feelings of pain can be lessened through the use of medication that can provide pain relief. A person can also apply ice to an area that is painful, as this will lessen any feelings of tenderness. Receiving support from family and friends can also help the emotional effects of pain.
Pain is classified into two categories. Acute pain is generally felt in the short term, which is less than three months. If a person experiences pain that lasts longer than this period of time, they are experiencing chronic pain.