Pain – General Information The name of the medical condition known as Pain comes from Ancient Greek, poine. Many scientists describe it as an emotional or sensory experience that is usual unpleasant for the individual and they associate it sometimes with a potential or actual damage of the tissues. The disorder is considered more a symptom of other more serious conditions and it is experienced in response to the following events: a psychogenic cause that originates in the brain and has a mechanism that cannot be understood, actual damage to a sensor nerve responsible with the occurrence of it, stimulation of such kind of nerve at its end or damage that occurs in the area of the brain where the respective nerve travels. Pain is also seen as a kind of the body’s defense that triggers physical and mental behaviors to stop the disturbing experience. It is well known that the repetition of Pain will make the situation less likely every time. The patients suffering from this medical condition can accuse a dull or sharp form of the sensations that may come and go systematically or may remain constant for a long period of time. This medical disorder can be felt more in the back, chest or abdomen area of the patient’s body. Some people may feel it all over their body, for example the muscles ache from a simple flu. This clinical manifestation may also be helpful because without it you might suffer from something serious without knowing it. Pain – Symptoms Pain itself is considered a symptom that presents itself in different types. Every organism uses it to inform the brain that something is not right. This is why you should never ignore this condition when you experience it. The disorder belongs to the spectrum of sensations and involves especially the brain and nerves. It usually ranges in intensity from numbness to agony. Pain can be sudden and severe (in this case doctors call it acute) or persistent (in this case it is said the patient deals with a chronic form of the condition). The signs and symptoms of this condition are different and depend on the area that is affected. This disturbing medical condition appears in every region of the body. No matter what type of this disorder the patient suffers from, the prompt medical professional help is needed so that the right diagnose of the underlying cause is established. In any of its forms, Pain can cause important impairment in occupational, social or other significant areas of interaction and major distress. The psychological factors have an extremely important role in the evolution of this medical disorder, more specifically in the onset, exacerbation, severity or maintenance. People experience it as sharp, burning, throbbing, nauseating, shooting or dull or as a combination of these several clinical manifestations. It is important to have in mind that the threshold of it widely varies among patients. Pain – Treatment In almost all the cases, when this condition affects the back area, it improves with the available treatment options and self care. Usually, for Pain to completely disappear you can follow a therapy more than two to three weeks, but there are cases in which the symptoms improve in the first 72 hours after applying the treatment. If the patient’s condition does not improve he must consult the doctor immediately. There are some rare cases in which the this form of the medical condition represents the symptom of other medical conditions, and the patient should contact the doctor if the Pain is constant or intense, particularly in night time or when lying down, if it spreads down the legs, particularly if it spreads below the patient’s knee, if it causes weakness, numbness or tingling, if it causes new bowel or bladder problems, if it is associated with pulsation, called throbbing, in the abdominal area, or fever, if it follows a fall, blow to the patient’s back or other injury, and if is accompanied by weight loss. In most cases, the available techniques of diagnosing it are not necessary to confirm the cause of Pain. Usually, doctors test the patient by examining his abilities in sitting, standing, walking and lifting his legs. The test also includes reflex examination. These tests can help the doctor to determine where Pain comes from, how much the patient can move before the disorder appears, and whether the patient has muscle spasms. There are cases in which this clinical manifestation can indicate the fact that the patient has a tumor, fracture, infection or any other similar / typical conditions; in order to rule out the presence of these disorders doctors apply certain diagnosing measures, which can include X-rays, which show the alignment of the patient’s bones or if he suffers from arthritis or broken bones, magnetic resonance imaging or computerized tomography scans, which can generate images that reveal any problems with the bones, tissue, muscle, tendons, ligaments, nerves and blood vessels; bone scans, which is usually made in rare cases, in which the doctors examine the patient’s bone for any tumors or compression fractures caused by osteoporosis; and nerve studies, called electromyography, which measure the electrical impulses produced by the nerves and the responses of the patient’s muscles. Generally, Pain can appear as acute and chronic. The difference between the acute and chronic form is the nature of the symptom which is a critical fact in treating the condition. The acute form of the condition is easy to treat because it is caused by soft tissue damage, infection or certain inflammation. In most cases it is treated with pharmaceuticals and appropriate techniques to remove and control the cause. The chronic form of the medical condition has apparently no cause or can be determined by a developing disease or internal imbalance. This form can lead to the appearance of other psychological problems that can confuse the doctors, leading to various diagnoses. There are cases in which it can have a psychosomatic or psychogenic cause. Ask your personal physician for more information. Celebrex, AGGRENOX (DIPYRIDAMOLE - ASA), ATARAX (HYDROXYZINE) (SERECID), CATAPRES (CLONIDINE),(CELECOXIB), CYMBALTA (DULOXETINE HYDROCHLORIDE),