Ow!
You’re just going about your day when suddenly, you’re hit with a wave of pain.
What’s your body trying to tell you?
And why does it have to hurt you to do it?
Here are twenty things you never knew about pain.
#20.
Pain Is Your Body’s Warning System
Remember as a kid, when you decided to touch the stove?
Your hand only glanced it for half a second before you pulled it away in pain and wound
up with a blister - and a stinging lecture from mom about safety.
This was a case where pain was very useful - as soon as you touched something that could
hurt you, your pain receptors kicked in and sent the very strong message that you should
stop before you caused more serious damage.
This nerve signal indicates to the body that it should withdraw from a damaging stimulus
immediately and avoid it in the future - saving you a lot of future pain.
But not every pain serves a useful purpose.
#19.
What the Hurt?
There’s another kind of pain that just seems to linger, even when there’s nothing on
the surface causing it.
This is called chronic pain, and it lasts more than three to six months.
It can be caused by problems in the body’s various systems, but it’s most often caused
by the nervous system.
Something gets damaged, and the brain or spinal cord sends signals to a part of the body that
indicates - something’s wrong here.
Solving or relieving chronic pain can be tricky, and sufferers often spend a lot of time visiting
doctors to try to find the right combo of therapy or medication to make their pain finally
go away.
But there’s another cause for chronic pain - and it comes for all of us.
#18.
What’s Eating Grandma?
Have you ever heard your grandparent complaining about their back, or knees, or...well, everything?
Probably, and there’s a reason for that - chronic pain tends to come with age.
That’s because just like your car or computer, our bodies wear out after a while - but getting
new parts isn’t as easy as going to the store.
Joints are particularly vulnerable to this, because the cartilage and muscle used to make
sure everything moves smoothly wears out before the bone does - which can make swinging the
knees or other parts a lot rougher and more painful.
Thankfully, doctors can now implant artificial joints so grandparents everywhere can start
dancing the night away with less pain.
But can pain actually be a sign of something good?
#17.
Feel the Burn!
If you’ve ever lifted weights or tried to break your own record on the track, you probably
know you can feel pretty rough afterwards.
Your muscles are cramping up, it can be hard to move, and you just want to lie down and
watch some TV for a while.
But after a little, it passes - and you actually feel stronger.
This is because working your muscles causes a build-up of lactic acid, which makes them
tighten up and more painful to move them.
It relieves itself after a little while and they wind up stronger in the long run.
Just be careful you’re not overdoing it - if you’re spending hours in bed because
it’s too painful to move after a workout, you might be going too hard too fast.
But that’s not the only workout-related pain.
#16.
Hip to the Burn
Have you ever gone for a run, and suddenly the front of your hip starts hurting?
This doesn’t always come with running too hard, and it doesn’t seem like there’s
a recurring injury - but it’s painful enough to stop you in your tracks.
This is the hip flexor region, and it can be caused by a number of things.
It can be the sign of a more serious problem like a stress fracture or hernia, but most
often it’s a hip flexor strain - which is often caused by overuse or a lack of proper
stretching.
The best way to avoid this is to rest, take some anti-inflammatories if you need them,
and do some exercises to increase your mobility before you get back on the track.
But sometimes this pain isn’t as straightforward.
Sometimes it’s not the hip.
Sometimes it’s above it, in the side - a pain called a side stitch.
It’s most common during running, but it can happen during any intense activity like
swimming or horseback riding.
It’s not caused by any specific injury, but it’s common enough that it affects two-thirds
of runners per year.
The pain is usually gone by the time the athlete gets it checked out - but while it’s going
on it’s an intense shooting pain that can stop an athlete in their tracks!
So what causes it?
Serious shooting pain in the side can be a sign of a major problem like appendicitis,
but in most cases the pain of a side stitch disappears quickly after the athlete stops
running.
Most sports medicine experts believe the cause is an irritation of the abdominal lining or
the ligaments surrounding the diaphragm, and can be relieved by stopping, breathing deeply,
and putting some pressure on the area.
But one other factor can affect it - it’s been proven to happen more often to people
who eat or drink something sweet before running.
Might want to cut out that pre-workout cola.
Running can cause pain, no surprise - but what about homework?
#15.
It’s All In the Wrist
You’re typing away on that report that’s due...well, best not to look at that.
Then, suddenly, a shooting pain in your wrist hits you, and your fingers seem to be getting
numb.
That’s going to make it difficult to type.
This is one of the most common repetitive-stress injuries - and it doesn’t hit athletes,
but office workers.
Carpal Tunnel Syndrome happens when the median nerve gets compressed as it sends signals
from the wrists to the fingers.
It can be linked to rheumatoid arthritis, but the most common cause is repetitive work
involving the wrists.
It can be alleviated by injections and splints, but surgery is an option for more serious
pain.
But what about pain that isn’t there at all?
#14.
Ooh, Ghosts.
Spooky.
When someone has an amputation - be it due to chronic issues or a sudden injury - at
least they don’t have to worry about pain there anymore.
They can get a prosthetic and move on with their life...right?
Not always.
Many amputees find themselves experiencing serious pain in their limb - even though the
limb isn’t there anymore!
Over eighty percent of amputation patients report feeling some strange sensation in their
missing limb, which indicates it’s a common response to an unusual nerve stimulus - and
the body has to adjust its nerve reactions before this bizarre response resolves itself.
It’s not the only case where pain involves psychological stimuli.
#13.
Calm Down Already!
Pain is largely a physical response to your body either sending or receiving messages
- but it has a mental element too.
It causes you stress, which leads to frustration and fear.
This is especially common with chronic pain, where it’s not clear what’s actually causing
the pain or how to stop it.
The problem is, stress can actually heighten the body’s pain response and make it more
difficult to focus and solve the problem.
If you doubt this, try solving a math problem while getting shocked with a joy buzzer repeatedly.
One of the best ways to cut down on pain, though, might be surprising.
#12.
Get Smoked!
You know what causes stress?
Pain!
You know what many people use to relieve stress?
Smoking!
The problem is, it’s doing the exact opposite of relieving pain.
Smoking is actually a serious risk for people with chronic pain caused by conditions like
fibromyalgia.
That’s because smoking decreases the blood flow going to joints and can actually delay
the healing of injuries.
That’s why doctors will often tell people not to smoke before or after surgery.
It can also interfere with some medications, so it may be time to think about quitting.
But that’s not the only unexpected thing that can enhance pain.
#11.
What’s For Lunch?
One of the biggest culprits in chronic pain is inflammation.
While this redness and swelling is actually a sign of your body healing in most circumstances,
it can be too much of a good thing - causing consistent pain and difficulty with moving.
And it can actually be caused by what you eat.
Processed and fried foods and refined grains and sugars can lead to increased inflammation,
as can alcohol - definitely a downside for those looking to drink their pain away.
But for those looking to reduce inflammation, healthy fats and proteins and many fruits
and vegetables can help.
But one unlikely thing can actually help to relieve pain.
#10.
Get Moving!
We know - the last thing you want to do when you’re in pain is to get up.
That couch is awfully inviting and there are a lot of shows to binge-watch on your thirty
streaming services.
But studies have proven that sitting or lying down while in pain can make the pain worse.
When you do actually have to get up, the pain might be too intense.
Instead of waiting for moving to become essential, it’s best to keep moving and change position
occasionally - especially since moving can produce the pain-killing brain chemicals called
endorphins, giving you a similar effect to many pain medications.
But if you’re looking to relieve pain, there’s another...more exciting way.
#9.
Get Busy!
There’s few pains harder to get rid of than a migraine.
These chronic headaches can make it impossible to focus on anything, and the last thing you
want to do is be active.
But one type of activity may have an unexpected benefit.
If you’ve got a ready-and-willing partner, the best medicine for a migraine may be a
roll in the hay.
While it might not be a natural activity - after all, how many times has someone said “Not
tonight, I have a headache.”.
But a majority says that sex relieves their symptoms during a migraine attack - and the
culprit is the same endorphins that are released by exercise.
But sometimes the cure is worse than the pain.
#8.
That Stings!
Remember when you skinned your knee as a kid?
It hurt - and then your folks said they had to clean it, and they used rubbing alcohol?
Now THAT set your knee on fire!
Why the heck does rubbing alcohol hurt so much?
It does its job, but the problem is that the cut or scrape exposes the nerve cells under
the skin.
These are the cells that usually have the job of detecting extremely hot temperature.
When exposed to alcohol, their pain threshold gets lowered - and it’s not the alcohol
that causes the pain, but your own body temperature!
They’re doing their job a little too well.
And that’s not the only time something good betrays you and causes pain.
#7.
Brr...Ow!
There’s nothing like an ice cream cone on a hot summer day, or a slurpee or Italian
ice.
You’re digging into a frozen treat when suddenly - ow!
It’s like a jackhammer going off in your brain!
You’ve fallen prey to the notorious brain freeze, but your brain hasn’t actually frozen.
This condition - actually called Sphenopalatine ganglioneuraligia - happens because the pain
receptors in the mouth are linked to the ones in your forehead.
Thus, the signals get crossed and when your mouth gets the news that something’s too
hot, it gets transmitted to the brain.
Oh, well.
That ice cream still looks pretty good!
But some food could cause more lasting pain in the past.
#6.
Pass the Meat
Usually, kings had access to doctors who could help them avoid or treat many common diseases.
But one disease was so common among royals that it became known as the disease of kings
- Gout.
This painful disease, which involves serious pain and swelling in the joints, was caused
by a buildup of uric acid in the blood - a condition caused by too much rich food and
drink.
That wasn’t something peasants had to worry about.
But this disease wasn’t new - evidence of it has been found in the bones of Tyrannosaurus
Rex - who definitely had a meat-heavy diet.
But not everyone experiences pain the same.
#5.
War of the Sexes
You’ve probably seen men and women handle pain differently.
Maybe dad cursed up a storm after hitting his thumb with a hammer, while mom finished
dinner before washing out that burn.
But there actually is a biological difference in the way men and women feel pain - and surprisingly,
it’s the women who feel more pain.
Studies show that women have more nerve receptors than men, and report being in pain to their
doctors more often.
This has led to a common problem where some doctors dismiss women when they report being
in pain - after all, they’ve never felt the same thing.
Everyone feels pain differently - and some doctors have adapted.
#4.
Rate Your Pain!
Rate your pain?
I’d probably give it a zero!
It stinks!
But rating pain usually means ranking it on a scale of how severe it is - a tool that
more doctors have begun using.
It’s especially useful for child patients, who may not be able to describe their symptoms
effectively, or chronic pain sufferers.
Scales can vary - with some meant for kids even using different types of frowny face
- but most have a similar purpose.
If someone rates their pain on the low end of the scale, they can usually go about daily
activities only mildly bothered.
Someone on the high end may not even be able to get out of bed.
But some animals have an unusual relationship with pain.
#3.
Snakebitten
It’s one of the deadliest animals in the world - the Black Mamba.
This venomous snake packs a powerful, potentially fatal bite.
So one would assume it’s pretty painful when this creature bites you, right?
Wrong!
The Black Mamba’s venom actually contains pain-relieving compounds that may be more
effective than morphine.
Scientists are working on developing it as a painkiller - as long as they can separate
it from the toxic parts.
And hey, for one of the most venomous snakes in the world, he actually looks pretty friendly.
But some animals don’t feel pain in a normal way either.
#2.
Not Your Average Rat
The naked mole rat is atypical in a lot of ways.
It’s a small, bald rodent that is mostly blind and lives underground in large colonies
that resemble insect societies in some ways.
They also don’t seem to have the same pain receptors as humans despite being mammals
- studies show they don’t feel pain when affected by acid or chili peppers.
This has gotten scientists pretty interested in how these critters can provide human pain
relief, and they’re not the only animals who lack certain pain receptors.
A 2005 report said lobsters don’t feel pain when boiled - a relief to diners everywhere,
even if it’s still hotly debated.
But a very small number of people are in the same boat.
#1.
Feeling No Pain
It’s a very rare genetic mutation, with a small number of people worldwide - including
a cluster in a Swedish village - having the bizarre medical condition that makes them
unable to feel pain.
While they can tell temperatures, their pain receptors don’t work - making them uniquely
vulnerable.
A too-hot piece of metal can turn into a third-degree burn if the body doesn’t warn you to pull
away.
A painful stress fracture in the leg can go undetected in someone without pain until it
suddenly breaks.
These people have to keep on top of their health like no one else, because their body
doesn’t give them warning signs.
Your pain is like an alarm clock - no one is happy to see it, but it’s better than
the alternative.
Check out “The Worst Pain Ever?
These Injuries Will Make You Cry Like a Baby” for more pain facts, or watch this episode
instead.