Pain

Summary

Pain is a signal in your nervous system that something may be wrong. It is an unpleasant feeling, such as a prick, tingle, sting, burn, or ache. Pain may be sharp or dull. It may come and go, or it may be constant. You may feel pain in one area of your body, such as your back, abdomen, chest, pelvis, or you may feel pain all over.

Pain can be helpful in diagnosing a problem. If you never felt pain, you might seriously hurt yourself without knowing it, or you might not realize you have a medical problem that needs treatment.

There are two types of pain: acute and chronic. Acute pain usually comes on suddenly, because of a disease, injury, or inflammation. It can often be diagnosed and treated. It usually goes away, though sometimes it can turn into chronic pain. Chronic pain lasts for a long time, and can cause severe problems.

Pain is not always curable, but there are many ways to treat it. Treatment depends on the cause and type of pain. There are drug treatments, including pain relievers. There are also non-drug treatments, such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery.

NIH: National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

NIH MedlinePlus Magazine

• “Ouch, That Hurts!” The Science of Pain
• Audio Analgesia: How Sound Blunts Pain–at Least in Mice
• Shedding Light on Facial Pain
• Uncovering a Cure: NIH-Supported Research Lays the Groundwork for Understanding and Treating Pain

Patient Handouts

• Aches and pains during pregnancy Medical Encyclopedia
• Neuralgia Medical Encyclopedia
• Palliative care – managing pain Medical Encyclopedia

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pain National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pain Management National Institutes of Health
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Pain Perception National Institutes of Health

Genetics

• Congenital insensitivity to pain: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine
• Paroxysmal extreme pain disorder: MedlinePlus Genetics National Library of Medicine

Older Adults

• Eldercare at Home: Pain Management AGS Health in Aging Foundation
• Pain: You Can Get Help National Institute on Aging

Videos and Tutorials

• Feeling pain Medical Encyclopedia

Find an Expert

• Find a Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Physician American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• NIH Pain Consortium NIH Pain Consortium

Encyclopedia

• Groin pain Medical Encyclopedia
• Muscle aches Medical Encyclopedia

Treatments and Therapies

• Managing Pain: Moving Beyond Opioids National Institutes of Health
• Non-Drug Pain Management: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• Pain Relievers: MedlinePlus Health Topic National Library of Medicine
• Safely and Effectively Managing Pain without Opioids Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Start Here

• Pain National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
• Pain Merck & Co., Inc.
• Pain Management American Society of Anesthesiologists

Related Issues

• Pain and Depression: Is There a Link? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
• Pain Condition Resources NIH Pain Consortium
• Somatic Symptom and Related Disorders American Academy of Family Physicians
• Using Alcohol to Relieve Your Pain: What Are the Risks? National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism

Living With

• Pain Management: Lifestyle & Management American Geriatrics Society

Journal Articles

• Pain

Statistics and Research

• Untangling the Source of Ouch and Itch National Institute of General Medical Sciences

Children

• Why Do I Have Pain? Nemours Foundation