What is the difference between pain and ache?

1. 67

   Rosie2010posted 11 years ago

   What is the difference between pain and ache?

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2. 67

   raquelpierposted 11 years ago

   As someone who lives with Lupus and fibromyalgia, I suffer from aches and pain daily...difference for me is that the pain gets so bad that only when medicated does is subside and become an ache...still hurts, just less intense. I try very hard not to take all the medication the doctors provide or would like me to take because when I did I could not seem to get myself out of bed. Sure, the pain I experienced was not as bad, but the ache of not being able to live an active life becomes more debilitating than the illness itself.

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      Emily40posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      So true.I hav 2 b on medication evryday bcuz i suffer severe,excruciating pain since i was diagnosed wit Systemic lupus,Rheumatoid Arthritis,Raynaunds and Avascular Necrosis.Missin 1 day witout a strong narcotic drug is trouble 4 me.Am only 17 yrs!

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   2. 67

      Rosie2010posted 11 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks for your answer, Raquelpier.  I'm sorry to hear about your aches and pains.. I cannot possibly imagine how bad it is for you.  But here you are, sharing how it is with you.  Thank you so much for sharing.

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   Dubuquedogtrainerposted 11 years ago

   Pain is the name of the symptom (of discomfort) usually described in the medical literature whereas "ache" is more of a descriptive term which qualifies the type of pain a person has and is used by the person with pain to describe his or her pain.
   
   We (medical professionals) describe pain both quantitatively and qualitatively and "ache" is just one *type* of pain in terms of quality. It may describe the relative intensity of the pain, but really is dependent on what the person describing the pain means by "ache." For example, consider the fact that "ache" may describe both a toothache, which can be excruciating and a muscle ache, which may just be "nagging."
   
   The perception of pain is very subjective and can only really be evaluated by the person experiencing the pain. We do have indicators of pain that can be observed, for example, blood pressure, heart rate and respiratory rate, also facial expression and body movement or lack of movement.

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   Kay70flowposted 11 years ago

   I think pain is when someone feel strongly anxiety and the continuous of the pain will result to ache.. So the ache is when the strong anxious keep continue as a result of lack proper treatment or insulficient funding

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5. 61

   teamrnposted 11 years ago

   They're both discomforts. But a pain might be (though not always) worse. Pain is something acute or chronic, that you feel as a result of something. Like surgery. There is pain from the incision and for a few weeks after. Usually after a time, that pain goes away. Often, only medication helps pain. There are different meds that can hep pain. But, trying things like acupuncture, hypnotism, chiropractic and many alternative therapies can work as well. After all, these therapies were around and extremely successful for years before modern medicine.
   
   An ache can also be a chronic or acute discomfort. Usually though, an ache is the result of something more underlying, like body aches from the flu, muscle aches from a bad back. These aches can, and often are, JUST AS BAD. I never realized that aches and pains could be so bad until I developed lupus and fibromyalgia. Lupus gives you joint PAINS and Fibromyalgia gives terrible aches. Think of a toothACHE!
   
   I guess when you really come down to it, since both are discomforts, sometime mild, but sometimes severe; BOTH pain and aches are simiar in how they affect you. The difference is in how you EXPERIENCE them.

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   Seeker7posted 11 years ago

   It's probabaly a personal definition for most people. For some a pain and ache are used to mean the same thing. For me, an ache is something that is a general feeling of discomfort but not usually that strong. Aches tend to be more widespread than pain. When I talk about pain, I talk about something that is really sore, tends to be focused on one area and can be described in various ways such as - stabbing, throbbing, hot, piercing, shooting and so on. With an ache, for me, it tends to be a dull throbbing in the background.

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7. 68

   onegoodwomanposted 11 years ago

   no medical training,  here, but this is my take...........
   
   
   If I smash my finger with a hammer, it is in pain.........there is a deliberate cause, and it will eventually sudside.
   
   My, knee aches...........I have grown accustomed to it as it is always present in some degree.  The cause is unknown to me, but there was no injury.
   
   When my head aches, it is painful, I do not know the cause, but I look for fast relief.
   
   Pain is immediate, you ( or a doctor ) can  usually pinpoint a cause and you want to end it..........you learn to live with an ache, and look for ways to lessen it, without knowing the immediate cause.

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