Pain has accompanied man since the dawn of history
His descriptions and methods of treatment can be found in early history, for example on Babylonian tablets and Egyptian papyrus. The word pain comes from the Latin word "poena", which means punishment. In ancient times it was thought that the pain is caused by demons or is a signal of dissatisfaction of the gods. The Egyptians also believed that the spirits of the dead, which after dark went into the body through the nostrils or ears, caused the pain.
Pain is a phenomenon inherent in human life
Like the elevated temperature, it is a signal that something bad is happening in the body. At the same time, it is also a mental, sensual and emotional phenomenon. Pain is an unpleasant experience that arises under the influence of impulses that damage the tissue or threaten its damage.
How does it hurt?
The process of pain sensation is called nociception and includes four stages: transduction, conduction, modulation and perception. In the transduction process, the change of the energy of the acting impulse to the electrical impulse, carried by the nerve fibers, takes place in the peripheral ends of the nociceptor neuron, the so-called nociceptor, located in the peripheral ends of A delta and C fibers, specialized in the transmission of pain information. During the process of transmitting nociceptive information to the higher floors of the nervous system, it undergoes a modulation process (inhibition or paving), which results in a decrease or increase in the release of neurotransmitters or a change in neuronal activity. The final stage of nociception is the phenomenon of perception, occurring in the cerebral cortex (the place where it comes to the awareness of the existence of pain and its location). The bark is responsible for the interpretation of pain stimulation and the appropriate response. This is an individual reaction, depending to a large extent on previous experience. Typical behavior in response to pain is fear, fear, aggression or anger.
Symptom of the disease
Acute pain plays a cautionary role in the body. However, in the absence of or ineffective analgesic therapy, persistent acute pain results in pathophysiological changes in the central nervous system. An acute form of pain can develop into a chronic pain syndrome.
Pain treatment
In recent years, there has been a dynamic development of neurophysiological and pharmacological research, which significantly influenced the ability to understand and learn about many processes related to the emergence of pain and the mechanisms of action of drugs and other methods used in its treatment. The most common way to fight pathological pain is to use painkillers. The first painkiller was morphine, which was separated in 1804. A major breakthrough in the treatment of pain was the discovery by F. Hoffman in 1897 of aspirin with antipyretic and analgesic effects and the synthesis of modern non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. One of the most important issues is the fight against cancer pain. The basis is a three-stage analgesic ladder, developed by the World Health Organization. According to its principles, painkillers are selected depending on the severity of pain. In each stage, higher and higher doses of drugs are administered, and after reaching their maximum dose, joins the drug with a higher degree or a change to a stronger drug. Proper pain management is multidirectional. Thanks to the achievements of modern medicine, patients can live with dignity without experiencing pain.
Jatrejon PR
