So, my first post was about a man in the UK who actually fashioned a guillotine to amputate his hand which probably had damaged nerves. If you read my first post, you would realise that I do not bother to "re-invent the wheel" in that I will add some links for you to follow-up your reading. I am going to do the same here (as with all subsequent posts).
I last left off the guillotine post with the question of how can one manage pain when the limb/body part is there. Have you ever noticed how you only notice the pain some time after the accident/incident? For example, walk into something only to feel the pain seconds later? Why?
Basically, pain is a sensation that the brain controls. Remember how I had talked about our brain trying to protect us from forgetting that we had lost a limb in the previous post? Well, you may wish to read the article in the following link:
In layperson speak, the pain signals takes some time to travel from the pain site to our brain. Let's say the pain comes from kicking something, the pain signal would have to travel from the foot up the leg, up the spine to get to the brain. That would explain the seconds that you would have to wait before you feel the pain. That would also explain how if your spine is injured/severed, the pain signal may come or be odd.
What does this mean when it comes to pain management? Okay, imagine this... It will be easier if you drive but I am sure you will understand my analogy... There is a scenic road that gets to your destination and there is a highway that gets to your destination too. As they say, "All roads lead to Rome." Pain travels slowly up to your head (that's why it takes you some time to notice the pain). On the other hand, other signals) (e.g., heat, touch) take a shorter time to get to your head. Thus, when you are in pain, if you use a heat pack or rub the pain site, your pain is less perceptible. The heat or touch would simply travel up to the head first to intercept the pain signal.
The above is why sometimes people say "the pain is in your head". It is also why sometimes people who had lost a limb can still experience they limb (e.g., dampness, pain). This is also why sometimes it is thought that as much as it is important to learn to tolerate pain, it is also important for the pain not to be fully embedded in the head. When I get a headache, I always take a panadol. I do not try to distinguish between light headache means no panadol, while big headache means panadol. I also notice that in my management of ongoing aches and pain, I often act promptly to prevent the pain from being chronic.
Pain is an important way for our body to communicate with us. Do not underestimate your injuries but also do not play up your pain. Hope this post makes sense to you.
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