Pain Management: Which Type of Pain are you Experiencing?
We have all felt pain. We know that falling down and scraping our knee is painful. We know that breaking a bone can lead to excruciating pain. We know that after a tough workout, it might be painful for the body and back to move after being so sore. All of these experiences can be placed in the ‘pain’ category, but what is pain, and how does it actually relate to what is happening in the body?
Pain is classified as an individual feeling discomfort, distress, or even agony. There is no blanket understanding of what pain means for the masses, as pain is a completely individual experience.
What you are experiencing with pain may be completely different from what someone sitting next to you with a similar injury is experiencing. As a result, pain scales are commonly used to help better understand what one person is experiencing in regards to pain.
Pain is organized into two main categories: Nociceptive Pain and Non-Nociceptive Pain. Nociceptive Pain occurs when specific pain receptors become activated, including those that sense hot and cold, vibrations, stretch, and when damaged cells yield a specific chemical reaction. Non-Nociceptive Pain includes pain related to nerves and the sympathetic nervous system. This type of pain can occur with pinched nerves or other nerve issues, or when a soft tissue issue occurs causing sensitivity around the injured area.
Pain can be managed through injury prevention techniques and regular rehabilitation exercises, especially in regards to chronic injuries with Non-Nociceptive pain. Like pain, finding the best prevention methods are typically very specific to each person. Taking the time to properly warm-up and cool-down can help decrease the potential for injury, and in-turn, pain for an athlete or weekend warrior moving forward. When pain does set in, using techniques like yoga or the Marc Pro Plus can be very beneficial for relieving pain.
The phrase “No Pain, No Gain” is proudly plastered along locker room walls to inspire athletes to push through pain and physical discomfort. However, should pain be heeded as a warning to stop pushing, or as something that we need to push through and learn our limits?
Tell the Marc Pro team your thoughts on Twitter about pain—is it something to push through or something to respond to immediately? Is there a good balance between being ‘hard-core’ and knowing your body’s needs related to pain?