Understanding Pain: Exploring the Perception of PainAn expert explores the biological and emotional nature of pain: why it hurts and why some pain is good and some pain is bad. If you touch something hot, it hurts. You snatch your hand away from the hot thing immediately. Obviously. But what is really happening, biologically—and emotionally? In Understanding Pain, Fernando Cervero explores the mechanisms and the meaning of pain. When you touch something hot, your brain triggers a reflex action that causes you to withdraw your hand, protecting you from injury. That kind of pain, Cervero explains, is actually good for us; it acts as an alarm that warns us of danger and keeps us away from harm. But, Cervero tells us, not all pain is good for you. There is another kind of pain that is more like a curse: chronic pain that is not related to injury. This is the kind of pain that fills pain clinics and makes life miserable. Cervero describes current research into the mysteries of chronic pain and efforts to develop more effective treatments. Cervero reminds us that pain is the most common reason for people to seek medical attention, but that it remains a biological enigma. It is protective, but not always. Its effects are not only sensory but also emotional. There is no way to measure it objectively, no test that comes back positive for pain; the only way a medical professional can gauge pain is by listening to the patient's description of it. The idea of pain as a test of character or a punishment to be borne is changing; prevention and treatment of pain are increasingly important to researchers, clinicians, and patients. Cervero's account brings us closer to understanding the meaning of pain. |
Contents
| 1 | |
Measuring Pain | 19 |
Sensing Pain | 35 |
Pain Networks | 53 |
Sensitization | 69 |
Perception and the Brain | 85 |
Visceral Pain | 99 |
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Common terms and phrases
analgesia analgesic animals areas aspects of pain associated body brain function burning capsaicin causalgia cause central nervous system changes chemical chronic pain clinical cognitive complex consequence cortex damage detect developed disease dolorimeter dorsal horn drugs emotional evoked excitability feel pain fibers fibromyalgia forms of pain functional pain gate theory genetic human pain hyperalgesia identified inflammation inflammatory pain injury injury-related inputs intense internal organs interstitial cystitis irritable bowel syndrome kind of pain lesion limb lobotomy measure pain mediate molecular muscles nerve cells neural neurons neuropathic pain nociceptive nociceptors normal opiates pain amplification pain conditions pain experience pain mechanisms pain pathway pain perception pain relief pain sensation pain signals pain-related painful stimuli patients perception of pain produced reactions receptors reduce regions response scientists sense organ sensitivity sensory nerves sensory perception Sherrington skin specific spinal cord stimulus suffering symptoms tactile temperature tion tissue touch triggered unpleasant visceral pain