What is Pain?
Definition of Pain
Pain, from the Latin root word "poena," or "penalty," is a symptom of some type of disorder or injury that may have an external (physical) or internal (neurological) source. Pain may be either acute, lasting a short time in response to a stimuli, or chronic, which is constant and persists, sometimes without an obvious cause.
Effects of Pain
Aside from the sensation of pain itself, pain is often associated with other physical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, weakness, dizziness, drowsiness, and perspiration.
Pain may also be associated with emotional and mental effects such as depression, anxiety, mood swings, crying, and even suicidal ideation.
Pain can impact impact many areas of a person's life, including mobility, the ability to take care of oneself, interpersonal relationships, work, and recreation.
Treatment
Pain can be treated in many ways. Painkillers (analgesics) are medications that relieve pain. Ice or heat may be applied to a source of pain to alleviate it. Anxiety or stress that follows pain can be helped with emotional support in order to take a person's mind off it until other treatments can be made available.