Dr. Slava Shut

Millions of people around the world are living with some kind of pain, everyday.  To understand how to manage pain, you have to understand what pain is.  Welcome to Topic Tuesday, where we pick something specifically related to health, business, or life in general. Today, we’re going to talk about some of the causes of pain and what you can do to manage it.

What is Pain?

Physical pain is a negative sensation caused by the nervous system in response to damage, injury,  illness, or dysfunction.  Pain is unpleasant, it can be chronically caused by a hidden underlying issue or simply due to the body sustaining damage.

The most common cause of pain is injury. When the body is damaged, the neurological system triggers a series of responses. Depending on the type of injury, the way the body responds could be a little different.

Painful injuries can happen in all kinds of different ways. I’ve treated patients with sprained ankles that happened while doing some pretty mundane tasks. On the other hand, I have also treated athletes who have risen to the professional level of competition. These people are the best of the best, and they still sprain their ankles!

What Causes Pain?

Damage to the musculoskeletal system can cause pain through tissue damage or nerve damage.

Pain due to tissue damage occurs when the body suffers an injury to a joint, muscle, tendon, skin, or another organ. This is fairly common when there’s an accident of some sort. Scraping your knee after a slip on wet concrete is a good example of tissue damage.

Nerve damage pertains specifically to the nervous system. The nervous system is a complex network that connects your body to your brain. Nerves branch out from the brain all the way to the tip of each of your digits. Among other things, it’s responsible for allowing the physical sense of touch. 

Nerve Function

Sometimes, the nerves send us signals to encourage certain behaviors. Exposure to a chilly wind can be uncomfortable, and over time, even dangerous. In this instance, your nerves communicate to your brain a comfortable feeling of warmth from a blanket or coat. This keeps you warm and alive, and gives you the incentive to seek conditions that are more survivable.

Much of the time, nerves give us the information we need to avoid dangers. Extreme cold and heat can be dangerous, and our nervous systems tell us to avoid the extremes. If you were unable to feel the difference between warmth and cold, you would be much more vulnerable to hypothermia or heatstroke.

When the nerve, itself, becomes damaged, it can cause problems with sensation. Common nerve damage symptoms are pain, numbness, weakness, and/or tingling in the effected area. 

Are you suffering from pain due to an injury? It’s time to get better. Don’t waste another second waiting for things to take care of themselves. Contact my team today to schedule a 1-on-1 with me!