Pain is a complicated experience. We often try to figure it out ourselves. Guessing at what the cause is. What did I do? Is it serious? Is it normal? Often times this ends with, "I guess I'll wait and see."
Today, I want to share a little bit about what I think we all should know about pain and the current science that supports our understanding.
Pain is a signal from our body that states there is a POTENTIAL threat to the body. The brain interprets this signal from the body as pain or harmless.
This could be a burn on the skin. It could be a tear of a muscle. However, it can also be a perceived threat. Have you ever screamed "Ouch!" to then notice that nothing really hurt you" Perhaps your big brother pretended to punch you or you thought bumping your arm would hurt but then didn't. If our brain is expecting pain, then it is ready to tell us something hurts even if there is no damage. Weird, right?
So All Pain is in the Brain? Yes, but it doesn't mean it is fake. All pain is real. If we experience pain, we have pain. It's as simple as that.
What's important to know is that PAIN is NOT Damage. We can have pain without damage and damage without pain.
Take a look at this video. It does an amazing job telling you most of what you should know about pain.
Now you understand pain a little better. Use it next time you stub your toe. Think, "It's just a signal to the brain." :)
-Jon