Pain - An Introduction

“Pain - So simple yet so complex”

Why do we experience pain? Where does it originate from? What is its purpose? Why do people perceive pain differently?

At BodyLab, osteopathy, and physiotherapy in Zurich Altstetten, we deal with the topic of pain daily. The main reason for visiting a doctor, osteopath, or physiotherapist is often the presence of pain, whether it arises from an injury, age-related issues, or simply due to a lack of movement.

From a physiological perspective, pain has a life-sustaining role. Pain occurs due to potential or actual tissue damage, meaning our brain can warn us of an injury even before it occurs. However, if the tissue is already injured, our brain sends signals to protect the damaged tissue, thus supporting healing. Yet, there are situations where our pain system fails, such as certain diseases like various cancers that cause no pain.

This is the simpler aspect of pain. It becomes complex when trying to truly understand pain, especially pain that does not seem life-threatening at first glance. The reason lies in the fact that our brain, for some reason, decides that we, or rather, our body and tissue, are in danger. It becomes challenging to determine why our brain has reached this conclusion.

It is important to note that pain is perceived differently by each individual. This is because pain intensity is independent of the extent of tissue damage. Indeed, pain is produced by the brain! The brain assesses the threat level of the damage based on the life situation. Ergo: pain makes sense!

For example, if we break a leg during a hike and seek shelter in a cave where a bear is present, our brain “forgets” the pain of the broken leg, as the tissue damage is far less life-threatening than the bear, from which we need to flee!

The processing of sensory information, which is relayed from our nervous system to our brain, is central here. This processing is not only based on the actual signals from the injured tissue but also involves a complex process that considers other factors. Factors such as reasoning and emotions, and the possible consequences for the person's life or survival, are included. Age, gender, culture, and context play a very important role. Lack of knowledge and understanding have a significant impact on pain intensity as well. The fear that something might be serious can increase the threat level of the injury. Conversely, the better a patient is informed about the consequences of an operation, the less fear arises, and the patient might even require fewer painkillers.

Another example to illustrate this is a small finger injury (paper cut). For an office worker, such an injury is annoying but does not significantly restrict the daily routine or workday (context). However, if a person's livelihood heavily depends on fine finger feeling (pianist, violinist, surgeon, etc.), the finger injury may be experienced as more painful because the professional existence is affected.

In summary:

• Pain is produced by the brain

• Pain has a life-sustaining purpose

• The pain experience is generated by many simultaneous sensory and emotional signals

• To understand pain, these signals must be recognized and related to each other

  
  

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Your BodyLab Team - Your specialists for physical complaints

Osteopathy and Physiotherapy | Rehabilitation and Training

Zurich Altstetten

Title Image Credit

Edvard Munch, The Scream, marked as public domain, details on Wikimedia Commons