Domain

Explanation

Pain …

• From Webster's dictionary, pain has the following meanings:

1. Penalty or punishment
2. Sensation of hurting or strong discomfort in some part of the body, caused by an injury, disease, or functional disorder, & transmitted through the nervous system
3. Distress or suffering, mental or physical, caused by great anxiety, anguish, grief, disappointment, etc.
4. Labour of childbirth
5. Great care or effort
6. An annoyance to a part of the body

• Although there would always be pain, as there would always be happiness,
• Each & every one of us experiences pain differently
• Pain is … more terrible … than death itself - Albert Schweitzer

2 sides of pain

• Good side: pain refers us to an occurring or potential problem
• Bad side: chronic pain lingers on long after body has healed

Why it occurs

• Aging: the older the person & population, the more pains
• More accident survivals
• More survivals from degenerative diseases like cancer
• More people sedentary & overweight
• More people experiencing high chronic stress levels

Why it hurts

• Torture victims, especially those who allow themselves to be susceptible
• Pain is not suffering:

1. Pain myth: "your chronic pain is all in your mind"
2. Reality: Chronic pain is in the brain - not in the mind … 痛在於身, 苦在於心

• Acute pain: short-term, known cause, temporary hindrance, causes anxiety, responds to treatment; generally not perpetuated by the brain
• Chronic pain: long-term, unknown cause, indefinite hindrance, causes anxiety & fear, little response to treatment; generally perpetuated by the brain
• Short-term pain is a symptom; long-term chronic pain is a disease
• Chronic pain syndrome: a group of physical & mental characteristics that often accompany chronic pain à consists of negative behaviours & attitudes that gradually pull pain patients away from their lives, into a ceaseless whirlpool of pain
• Hampers movement & daily livelihood

Gates of pain

• Pain travels through the body along specific pathways through "gates"
• Opening these pain gates allows more pain to flow, hence more painful & vice versa

What opens gates

What closes gates

• Lack of sleep

• Stressful lifestyle

• Fear & anxiety about pain

• Repeated trauma to distressed area

• Depression

• Focus on pain

• Physical inactivity

• Lack of specific neurological nutrients, Serotonin & Endorphin

• Hypoglycemia

• Nutrients leading to inflammation

Why many doctors fail

• Neglect neurological aspects of chronic pain (in the brain)
• Tranquilizers do not directly decrease pain
• Conventional pain treatment is drugs, yet top priority is to get patients off drugs as quickly as possible
• Drugs often cause "rebound pain" that is worse than the original pain
• Surgery not effective against many cases of back pain
• Many doctors ignore the underlying causes of pain

Pain makers

• Everyday aches:

1. Small nuisance aches
2. Airplane ear
3. Bedsores
4. Boils
5. Bruises
6. Burns
7. Cancer sores
8. Cold sores
9. Cuts
10. Eye cysts & sties
11. Eye pain
12. Fissures
13. Fractures
14. Hemorrhoids
15. Ingrown toenail
16. Insect bites & stings
17. Intercourse pain
18. Jammed finger
19. Muscle cramps
20. Plantar warts
21. Sciatica
22. Shinsplints
23. Sore throat
24. Sprains
25. Sunburn
26. Swimmer's ear
27. Tongue pain

• Chronic illnesses:

1. Easing illness pains
2. Blepharitis
3. Carpal tunnel syndrome
4. Fibromyalgia
5. Gallbladder pain
6. Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD)
7. Kidney stones
8. Mental pain
9. Raynaud's disease
10. Reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD)
11. Temporomandibular disorder (TMD)
12. Ulcer pain
13. Urinary tract infections

• Top 20:

1. Easing worst pains: angina; Arthritis; Back pain; bursitis & tendinitis; cancer; dental; foot; gas; headache; heartburn; hip; knee; leg; muscle; neck; osteoporosis; prostate; surgical

Pain takers

• Relief pains:

1. Acupressure
2. Acupuncture
3. Aromatherapy
4. Biofeedback
5. Chiropractic
6. Cold
7. Companionship
8. Exercise
9. Guided imagery
10. Heat
11. Homeopathy
12. Hydrotherapy
13. Hypnosis
14. Massage
15. Meditation
16. Music
17. Physical therapy
18. Prayer
19. Reflexology
20. Relaxation response
21. Rest
22. Sex
23. Strength training
24. Stretching
25. Tai Ji
26. Touch
27. Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS)
28. Walking
29. Yoga

Pain cure program

• 4-step program to pain cure:

1. Nutritional therapy: grains, vegetables, high-protein soy products, fish, anti-inflammatory nutrients
2. Physical therapy: massage, mind/body exercises, stretching
3. Medication: drugs & natural medications
4. Mental & spiritual pain control: relaxation to reduce pain signals … 世俗之交淡如水

Prevention

• Where does it hurt?
• Adopting pain-free attitude
• Good & bad of drugs
• Pain-free lifestyle