Pain Physiology

The phenomenon of pain has always been a major concern of mankind (2:2). Pain has existed through the ages in every civilization and in every culture (2:2).

Apparently primitive humans had little difficulty in understanding the pain associated with accidental injury but were mystified by pain caused by internal disease or that inflicted by an arrow or spear (2:3). The cause of painful diseases or pain inflicted by a foreign object was often linked with the intrusion of magic fluids, evil spirits, or pain demons into the body (2:3). Treatment consisted of extracting any foreign object and making efforts to ward off, appease, or frighten away the pain demons (2:3). Using charms and talismans, primitive peoples invented conjurat

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d reflects the immediate impact of the onset of injury (5:222). It is primarily characterized by efforts to withdraw from the source of injury (5:222). Anecdotal evidence is strong that people involved in activities that would be disrupted by pain sustain injuries without complaint (5:21-2-223). For example, wounds are often disregarded by soldiers on the battlefield (5:223). Thus, phasic pain is the immediate reaction to physical insult modulated for the particular biological, physical, and social setting in which it has occurred (5:223). The three aspects which define this phenomenon include instantaneous analgesia, eventual pain of later onset, and spatially limited analgesia (20:16). These characteristics can only be explained by a localized internal control mechanism such as an endogenous analgesic system (20:16). Following injury, phasic pain is then succeeded by a more normal, secondary pain. During the secondary phase of acute pain, the injured party may become agitated and aggressive (20:16). They may also show signs of anticipatory guarding and splinting the injured area (9:14). Acute pain's tertiary phase involves a recognizable recovery stage (20:16). Humans and animals may become quiet, solitary, anorexic,
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Approximate Word count = 6425
Approximate Pages = 26 (250 words per page)

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