Comments on: “Is the pain real?” and other questions your family member might have http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/ Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:18:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: How to Cope with Pain http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/comment-page-1/#comment-16618 How to Cope with Pain Sat, 06 Jun 2009 11:19:17 +0000 http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/#comment-16618 Karla, guess what - you <em>can't</em> prove pain! You'll be interested to know that <em>by definition</em>, pain is a subjective experience. Only <em>you</em> know what pain you're experiencing - type of pain, level of pain, where it is, etc. So only you can say what pain you're having. That being said, researchers <em>are</em> trying to find imaging that can help them know if someone is in pain and what pain level she's having. We call this "functional" imaging, because it's not a 1-time picture, like an xray, but an ongoing picture of brain functioning. Functional MRI's may answer this question of "is there pain?" Your husband's actual words may be on to something else, however. Your current pain isn't just a memory of your previous pain, in the sense that, now, you're just imagining it. However, your brain could partly be experiencing pain because you had pain in this area before. We know that chronic pain creates <em>more </em>chronic pain. Your brain, in this sense, may <em>remember</em> pain. For example, if a person has pain in his hand before it's amputated, it's more likely that the person will have phantom hand pain - pain in his phantom hand. I hope your husband continues to educate himself about how to be helpful to someone in pain! Good luck! Karla, guess what – you can’t prove pain! You’ll be interested to know that by definition, pain is a subjective experience. Only you know what pain you’re experiencing – type of pain, level of pain, where it is, etc. So only you can say what pain you’re having.

That being said, researchers are trying to find imaging that can help them know if someone is in pain and what pain level she’s having. We call this “functional” imaging, because it’s not a 1-time picture, like an xray, but an ongoing picture of brain functioning. Functional MRI’s may answer this question of “is there pain?”

Your husband’s actual words may be on to something else, however. Your current pain isn’t just a memory of your previous pain, in the sense that, now, you’re just imagining it. However, your brain could partly be experiencing pain because you had pain in this area before. We know that chronic pain creates more chronic pain. Your brain, in this sense, may remember pain.

For example, if a person has pain in his hand before it’s amputated, it’s more likely that the person will have phantom hand pain – pain in his phantom hand.

I hope your husband continues to educate himself about how to be helpful to someone in pain! Good luck!

]]> By: Karla http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/comment-page-1/#comment-16617 Karla Sat, 06 Jun 2009 10:00:11 +0000 http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/#comment-16617 I have been dealing with chronic lower back pain for many years, had a diskectomy that relieved it for a few years, and now it is back. An MRI revealed severe osteoarthritis and several spurs and I am now seeing a pain specialist for surgical-free pain options, none of which have worked yet. My husband asked me if I am actually dealing with sympathetic pains. If my pain is actually a 'memory' of the pain I had before my operation. I know my pain is real, but how does a person prove their pain is real? I thought that my daily suffering was evident enough. I guess not. How is pain proven? I have been dealing with chronic lower back pain for many years, had a diskectomy that relieved it for a few years, and now it is back. An MRI revealed severe osteoarthritis and several spurs and I am now seeing a pain specialist for surgical-free pain options, none of which have worked yet.
My husband asked me if I am actually dealing with sympathetic pains. If my pain is actually a ‘memory’ of the pain I had before my operation. I know my pain is real, but how does a person prove their pain is real? I thought that my daily suffering was evident enough. I guess not.
How is pain proven?

]]> By: Friends, Family & Illness | The Daily Headache http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/comment-page-1/#comment-5619 Friends, Family & Illness | The Daily Headache Mon, 28 Jan 2008 23:17:20 +0000 http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/#comment-5619 [...] once a week. Last week’s post answered questions that family members might have, like “Is the pain real?” Here’s part of her response: “Faking pain, on purpose, to get out of something [...] [...] once a week. Last week’s post answered questions that family members might have, like “Is the pain real?” Here’s part of her response: “Faking pain, on purpose, to get out of something [...]

]]> By: HTCWP http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/comment-page-1/#comment-62 HTCWP Wed, 31 Jan 2007 00:11:39 +0000 http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/#comment-62 Often family members can't believe the way a patient reports pain could possibly be true... " It can't be so severe" or "It can't be so long lasting," etc. If a family member hasn't experienced chronic pain, sometimes it's hard for them to imagine. What family members doubt is if the pain is truly as reported by the patient. Often family members can’t believe the way a patient reports pain could possibly be true… ” It can’t be so severe” or “It can’t be so long lasting,” etc. If a family member hasn’t experienced chronic pain, sometimes it’s hard for them to imagine. What family members doubt is if the pain is truly as reported by the patient.

]]> By: Suber http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/comment-page-1/#comment-61 Suber Tue, 30 Jan 2007 22:48:34 +0000 http://www.howtocopewithpain.org/blog/25/is-the-pain-real-and-other-questions-your-family-member-might-have/#comment-61 I'm not sure what it means to say that pain is imaginary. If a pain feels some way to the person who is experiencing it, then the pain is real. In other words, it is not clear how one can make the appearance/reality distinction with respect to pain. The way a pain appears is the way it really is. I’m not sure what it means to say that pain is imaginary. If a pain feels some way to the person who is experiencing it, then the pain is real. In other words, it is not clear how one can make the appearance/reality distinction with respect to pain. The way a pain appears is the way it really is.

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