Pain Why

We have all experienced and endured pains of various forms. There are pains caused by:

1. Emotional distress – Love sick, layoff from job, failure in business, quarrel between close friends, divorce, law suit, depression, etc.,

2. Physical injury – Playing sport, trimming tree, repairing roof, lifting heavy box, traffic accident, etc., and

3. Disease – Seasonal flu, food poisoning, bacteria and virus infection, cancer, catching cold, allergy, etc.

   Some of the pains can be cured by medicines and physical therapy. Some of the pains go away over time and rest. Some of the pains are so bad making life not worthy of living. Pain from the body tells us that something is wrong and if nothing is done; our life can be at risk. To live with pain is no fun. Fortunately, today, there are outside sources that can help us manage the pain enabling us to live a quality life.

Internet

Before there were books and the coming of the information age, we relied on the family remedies passed down from our ancestors to get relief from our pains. Those remedies are not always effective and sometimes, can cause additional sufferings. From books and later, Internet, we can get a better idea how, where, and why certain pain can come from specific part of the body.

We can also find out about the symptoms that each pain can manifest itself to get a better diagnosis. With a possible diagnosis, we can then follow the suggested cures that can entail either the over-the-counter (OTC) medication, home therapy, or a hospital visit with the specialist.

From the Internet, we can access not only the latest advancements and breakthroughs in the medical field but also the accumulated knowledge on the varieties of pain ailments from the past hundreds of years. Most importantly, through Internet, we can gain a quick understanding of how our complex body works, how to take care of it, and how to fix it.

OTC Drugs

Before the availability of the OTC drugs, the medicine came from the plants we found around us. Based on observation, trial and error, and documentations passed down over the generations, we had identified many plants with each having a different effect on relieving pain of our body.

The plant was usually grinded into powder or boiled in water before intake through mouth. It is not until the advancement of science that we begin not only to understand how and why certain plant possesses the healing power but also to make chemical based drugs that are more potent, effective, and easier to intake in pill form.

After clinical trials and the approval of the government medical agency, some of the drugs can be available without prescription in the supermarket shelf. The general public can find the OTC drugs to relief fever (Tylenol), headache (Aspirin), allergy (Chlorine), back pain (Advil), stomach ache (Nexium), coughing (Robitussin), insomnia (Melatonin), constipation (Fleet Enema), etc. As stress, overweight, and polluted environment become part of our life, the OTC drugs are the countermeasure to a tolerable living.

Hospital

When we can no longer get pain relief from the Internet and OTC drugs, our last resort is the hospital where generalists, specialists, and a host of medical devices/machines are ready to provide help. With a well established educational system, the ever advancing science and technology, and the ever deeper understanding of Biology, Physiology, and Anatomy, we are able to staff the hospital with:

1. The most qualified generalists – Internal Medicine, family physician, pediatrician, etc. and specialists – Cardiologist, Gastroenterologist, Oncologist, Dermatologist, ophthalmologist, etc.,

2. The latest devices and machines – Syringe, Catheter, Stethoscope, X-ray, MRI, EKG, Ultrasound, blood analyzer, etc.,

3. The up-to-date prescription drugs – Opioids (severe pain), Nitroglycerin (chest pain), Insulin (diabetes), Amoxil (antibiotic), serotonin (depression), etc.

   In the hospital, we can get help to find the source, cause, relief, sometimes, the cure to most of our pains. All the services provided by the hospital come at a high cost to the patient. As a result, only in emergency or when all options are exhausted, we will seek professional help.

AOL

Most of our pains from our body can be attributed to AOL (Abuse, Overuse, Lack of Use):

1. Abuse – Eating at irregular intervals can cause stomach ache, cracking walnut with teeth can break a tooth causing pain, handling excessive weight can cause joints and muscle damage and pain, etc.

   Just like a car, when it is driven over rough terrain and or at high speed, the car can break down faster.

2. Overuse – Working long hours in the office without proper rest can be stressful and lower immunity making the body susceptible to disease. Regular exercise is good for health, but, over doing it, the body’s muscle and joints can be worn out before regeneration, etc.

   Just like a car, when it is driven long hours every day, the car will have engine problem faster.

3. Lack of Use – Not enough stretching can cause existing muscle to shrink and stiffen. Not enough moving around can prevent the buildup of joint lubrication. Overtime, those conditions can only get worst leading to painful movement.

   Just like a car, when it has not been driven for weeks, the car’s battery will die out.

   Just like a car, most of the pain from our body can be prevented with moderate exercises and sport activities. Unlike the car, the more we learn about how our body works, the more we are amazed by the body’s ability to repair, regenerate, and rejuvenate itself as long as we know how to take care of our body properly. We all have felt pain in one form or another, in one degree or another. The pain teaches us the importance of a healthy lifestyle that requires awareness, persistence, and discipline.