Pain Myths - Busted!

There is a lot of misinformation out there about pain - from the authenticity of it, to the mechanisms involved, to the management and treatment. So I thought I would set a few of the most basic misconceptions straight.

Myth: Pain is the same for everyone.

Fact: Research has shown time and time again that everyone reacts to pain differently. Multiple factors, from lifestyle choices such as smoking and exercise, to genetics and mental wellbeing can all affect your interpretation of pain.

Did you know that redheads are more sensitive to pain? Or that women are more sensitive to pain, but still have equal pain tolerance to men? Your dominant hand can also sense pain more accurately, but can withstand pain for longer.

So before you judge someone in pain, or berate yourself for your own pain, remember that your perception is individual.

Myth: Chronic pain is just people being lazy or sooky.

Fact: Chronic pain is no joke.

Let's look at what the experts have to say about it:

"Chronic pain has a distinct pathology, causing changes throughout the nervous system that often worsen over time. It has significant psychological and cognitive correlates and can constitute a serious, separate disease entity."

- Relieving Pain in America, Report by US Institute of Medicine, 2011

That's right - chronic pain is not all in someone's head. Though it may start off with a normal injury, like a broken bone or strained muscle, chronic pain can develop into its own condition. That's because the nervous system goes into a state of constant alert, setting off signals at every perceived threat.

So don't go blaming their mental state - it's actually their nerves that are being hypochondriacs, not them!

Myth: Pain is only ever short-lived.

Pain can last anywhere from a split second to a lifetime. It all depends on what is causing the pain, and how the body's systems respond to that pain.

Hopefully, your body will understand that the pain stimulus was temporary, and will go back to acting normally. But if not, that doesn't mean that you have to give up hope.

Myth: Chronic pain means that you have to stop living your normal life.

Fact: Chronic pain can be managed, and in some cases even resolved. There is no one set treatment plan for chronic pain that has guaranteed results, because every case is different. But people with chronic pain do have support systems and health practitioners willing to help.

You may find the best way to manage your pain is to have a pain management team made up of practitioners with knowledge about pain. Practitioners can range from GPs, medical specialists, nurses, physiotherapists, osteopaths, chiropractors, nutritionists, naturopaths, massage therapists, occupational therapists, podiatrists, psychologists, social workers... The list goes on. The important thing is to find practitioners who will treat you as an individual, not as a condition.

Myth: Diet and lifestyle has no effect on chronic pain.

Fact: More and more research is emerging every day to support the differences that diet, lifestyle, and supplementation can have on chronic pain.

Some commonly researched supplements for pain conditions include omega-3s, S-adenosylmethionine, magnesium and glucosamine.

Dietary changes such as removal of intolerances or sensitivities, from gluten and dairy to nightshades and salicylates have been shown to improve symptoms in pain conditions.

Finally, lifestyle interventions such as counselling, exercise, deep breathing, mindfulness and meditation have all been found to be effective in managing chronic pain conditions.

For more information on how nutrition might help with your chronic pain, book in an appointment today.

References

http://www.webmd.com/pain-management/features/whats-your-pain-tolerance

http://www.painaustralia.org.au/consumers/what-is-pain.html

http://www.painmanagement.org.au/2014-09-11-13-35-53/2014-09-11-13-36-47/141-choosing-a-pain-management-team.html

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