Pain is your body’s alarm system. If you touch a hot stove or step on a tack, the pain you experience lets you know that something is wrong and you need to remove yourself from the situation due to the potential for harm or damage to your body. In a healthy, normal nervous system, the pain subsides shortly afterwards. However, sometimes the alarm remains on even after the threat has been removed. The sensitivity of the alarm system may also be decreased where activities and movements that used to be carried out with no pain or discomfort are now painful, in the absence of actual physical damage or injury.
Pain can originate from any situation, injury being the major cause. The pain perception in every individual is complex and is controlled by a number of variables. Recently, the concept of pain has evolved from one-dimensional to a multi-dimensional entity involving sensory, cognitive, motivational, and affective qualities. Pain is always subjective and every individual’s experience is very different. The amount of pain experienced is not related to the amount of tissue damage present (or not present). Pain can be acute, such as a cut on a finger, or it can be a component of chronic conditions such as arthritis, diabetes, cancer, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia, shingles, stroke, AIDS, and many other inflammatory conditions.
No matter where you feel pain in your body, it must be processed by your central nervous system- your brain and spinal cord. When you touch that hot stove or step on that tack, sensors in your hands or feet send messages about the sensation for your spinal cord and brain to process. If your brain or spinal cord determine it to be a threat, you will likely remove yourself from the situation.
The intensity of your pain is largely influenced by your mood and other psychological factors. Your brain and entire nervous system are influenced by your thoughts, your feelings, your beliefs, your memory, your experiences, and your environment.
This does not mean that pain is “all in your head.” It is a very real experience. This means that for every single person, pain is not just physical- it is psychological as well. Pain acts as a stressor on your nervous system and your mind. It causes changes in your respiratory and heart rates, increases muscle tension, constricts blood vessels, and can cause anxiety, over-focus on pain, and feelings of helplessness. Focusing on physical aspects and components of pain is only part of the solution. Other emotional, psychological, and environmental factors may also need to be addressed to help alleviate pain.
Types of Pain
There are several different types of pan, depending on the source of information. The most common types are nociceptive, neuropathic, and radicular. Each of these may be acute or chronic in nature. Neuropathic pain is pain caused by damage to nerves. It is typically described as shooting, stabbing, burning, or pins and needles. Common examples include carpal tunnel syndrome and peripheral neuropathy as seen in people with diabetes. Less common examples are Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and phantom limb pain after an amputation. Neuropathic pain is usually chronic but may be constant or intermittent.
PSYCHOGENIC??
Acute pain is the most common. It may last from several minutes to several weeks. If you stub your toe, the pain may last several minutes. If you sprain your wrist or ankle, the pain may last several days to several weeks. In most cases, the pain resolves with or without treatment. Acute pain may eventually evolve into chronic pain if the injury does not heal properly or if other factors are present.
Chronic pain is pain that lasts more than several weeks. It may be constant or come and go, like headaches. Chronic pain may be caused by conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, migraines, etc. Chronic pain may also occur in absence of any physical injury. This will be discussed in a later section.
Qigong/Tai Chi and Pain
The practice of Qigong and Tai Chi have been shown to help those affected by pain and chronic pain syndromes. There are several mechanisms that may help to explain why.
The slow, gentle movements accompanied by the diaphragmatic breathing and mental focus avoid setting off the so-called pain “alarm.” This increases parasympathetic nervous system activity, and decreases activity of the sympathetic nervous system. The result is relaxed blood vessels and muscles, and decreased heart rate, breathing rate, and blood pressure. Exercise also releases neurotransmitters, or hormones into the blood, such as dopamine, serotonin, noradrenaline, acetylcholine, GABA, and endorphins. These are called the “feel good” hormones because they cause a feeling of contentment and well-being. Diaphragmatic breathing has also been shown to stimulate anti-inflammatory and enhanced immune system function in the body.
[Source: Rhoads CJ. Mechanism of Pain Relief through Tai Chi and Qigong. J Pain Relief, 2013: 2:115.]