The 13 Types Of Pain: Classification And Characteristics
Whether acute or chronic, in the head, back or tooth, Pain can seriously interfere with a person’s life and can be highly disabling Pain appears after trauma or may be the symptom of an injury or illness that we were not aware of.
Whatever the cause, pain can emerge in different places and with different intensity. In this article we review the different types of pain
Pain is a very unpleasant sensory and emotional experience that we have all felt at some point It is one of the most frequent reasons for visiting a doctor and represents a serious problem for a large part of the population. In Spain, it is estimated that 6 million adult individuals suffer from pain, that is, 17.25% of the adult population.
Pain affects the lives of individuals, causing serious emotional and psychological problems, and is even, on many occasions, a reason for sick leave. The suffering associated with pain completely invades all the emotional and cognitive processes that are taking place in our mind and causes all of our attention to shift towards intense suffering. When pain accompanies us, our lives change completely.
How pain works
Years ago, the idea that the perception of pain depended solely on physical damage became obsolete, in which the receptors in the affected area sent signals to the brain and pain was simply felt. The insufficiency of this theory to explain pain such as phantom limb pain (when a person loses a body member but continues to feel pain in that area even though it is no longer there), caused the world of science to mobilize to find answers to the question of why people feel pain.
One of the most significant findings is that of Ronald Melzack, which gave rise to the theory of the neuromatrix This theory explains that the diffusion of pain and its transmission throughout the body is due to a complex system in which various areas of the central and peripheral nervous system, autonomic nervous system and endocrine system intervene, directly influenced by various psychological and emotional factors. , genetic and social. This idea is later than the one formulated in 1965 by Melzack himself and Patrick Wall, called the Control Gate Theory.
According to the Gate of Control Theory, pain is made up of three dimensions:
In other words, the perception of pain is not direct, but there is a modulation of the message at the level of the spinal cord In order to feel pain, it is necessary for the brain to receive the message. This implies that to experience pain the arrival of this information is necessary, but before reaching its destination, there is an entry door that, depending on whether it opens or closes, the pain is felt or not. The control gate depends on physical, emotional and cognitive factors.
The types of pain that exist
Pain can be classified in different ways. Below you can find a list of the different types of pain.
Depending on the duration
Depending on its duration, pain can be classified in different ways.
1. Acute
This type of pain acts as a warning of real or imminent pain and is short-lived and it contains little psychological component, since there is no time to think about it and the implications of the injury that causes it. An example is the pain that arises after a bruise or musculoskeletal fracture.
2. Chronic pain
Chronic pain is pain that lasts more than six months The prevalence of this type of pain in European populations is approximately 20%. It is accompanied by a psychological component, since in addition to being an unpleasant experience in itself, it is a constant reminder that there are certain parts of the body that are failing or that do not function as they should. It is, for example, the pain suffered by cancer patients.
If you want to know more about chronic pain, you can read our article: “Chronic pain: what it is and how it is treated from Psychology”
Physical pain is a painful sensation that actually exists somewhere in the body It can be the result of a slight blow or serious trauma (for example, a break), poor posture or an illness. Some examples are: back pain or toothache.
4. Emotional pain
Emotional pain is a subjective experience in which the person has a wound that no one sees The causes can be different: a breakup, a change of city, dismissal from a job… Regardless of the cause, it has its origin in not knowing how to manage the change in life and not having the necessary resources to face it. the new situation.
5. Psychological pain
Psychological pain may seem the same as emotional pain, but it is not exactly like that. Psychological pain is what is known as pain somatization which has its origin in an emotional state (stress, anxiety, sadness, etc.) and is reflected on a physical level or in the form of an illness.
Depending on the pathogenesis
According to the pathogenesis, pain can be classified into the following.
6. Neuropathic
Neuropathic pain is a stabbing pain, burning and is usually characterized by the sensation of increased pain produced just after the injury. Its cause is a direct stimulus to the CNS or an injury to the nerve pathways. Some examples are: post-chemotherapy peripheral neuropathy or spinal cord compression.
7. Nociceptive
It is the most common. Occurs by stimulation of a normally functioning, intact nervous system It is a type of pain that is beneficial for the body since it is a protective action to prevent further damage and proceed with tissue repair and regeneration. There are two types: somatic and visceral.
8. Psychogenic
Unlike the previous two, Its cause is not nociceptive stimulation or neuronal alteration, but rather its cause is psychological Some psychic variables that influence this pain are certain beliefs, fears, memories or emotions. It is real pain and therefore requires psychiatric treatment of the cause.
Depending on the location
Depending on the location, pain is classified into…
9. Somatic
It occurs due to the abnormal excitation of somatic nociceptors in the skin, muscles, joints, ligaments or bones Treatment should include the administration of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs).
It is produced by the abnormal excitation of visceral nociceptors, and can affect areas far from the place where it originated Cramping, pain from liver metastases, and pancreatic cancer are examples of this type of pain. Opioids are used for its treatment.
Depending on the intensity
Depending on its intensity, the pain can be…
11. Mild
It is the least intense pain The person with this type of pain can carry out daily activities. The pain can become so low that under certain circumstances it is not perceived and “disappears” completely simply due to distractions or correct management of the attention focus.
For example, in many cases gum inflammation produces mild pain (although this does not mean that it can become a serious problem if it gets worse).
12. Moderate
Pain with some intensity that interferes with daily activities, although it does not totally incapacitate the person and generally they can continue to lead an autonomous life to a greater or lesser extent. Requires treatment with minor opioids.
13. Severe
The most intense pain It not only interferes with daily activities, but also with rest. Its treatment requires major opioids and incapacitates the person so much that it makes them dependent on third parties, whether they are friends, family or caregivers.
Other types of pain
In addition to the above, depending on the affected area, there are different types of pain: back pain, headaches and migraines, toothache, etc. It is worth mentioning a very painful disease called fibromyalgia, characterized by chronic muscle pain of unknown origin, accompanied by a feeling of fatigue and other symptoms.
In addition, A pain that has aroused a lot of interest in the scientific field is phantom pain caused by the phantom limb, a term introduced by Silas Weir Mitchell in 1872, and suffered by some people who have lost an arm, leg or organ and who continue to experience the sensations of amputated limbs.
