Pain could be explained by a highly unpleasant physical sensation caused by illness or injury. A person may experience pain and it could lead to a feeling of hurt, discomfort, distress and even agony. Pain could be continuous or constant that is termed as an ache or would it could be throbbing that is called a pulsating pain. Pain can, however, be described only by the individual who is experiencing it.  

Types of pain

• Acute pain – It is an intense pain, caused due to injury and as the injury heals the pain also subsides.
• Chronic pain – This sort of pain lasts longer than the acute pain.

How can pain be classified?
Pain can be classified as nociceptive pain or non-nociceptive pain.

Nociceptive pain  – In this, the specific pain receptors are stimulated. These pain receptors sense temperature, vibration, stretch and chemicals released from the affected cells.

• Somatic pain
• Visceral pain

  Non-nociceptive pain  – The pain that comes from nervous system is called non-nociceptive as there are no specific pain receptors

• Sympathetic pain
• Neuropathic pain
• Referred pain – When the pain is felt at a distance from the origin of injury it is called referred pain.

Whatever pain you may be feeling it is, however, your personal feeling and how you cope up with it depends on how you plan to deal with it.

• Keep moving  – One may feel the need to rest if pain strikes, but it would be better if you keep yourself a bit moving. As it helps you to become stronger and cope up with the pain. Even for pain in legs the doctor usually advises starting with brisk walking.
• Physical and occupational therapy – This therapy helps to ease your pain by focusing on the exact muscle you need to strengthen, stretch and recover after the injury. In this therapy, the focus is how certain tasks will be done like walking up and down the stairs, opening a lid etc. with less pain.
• Go for counseling – If the pain is getting too much on you then look for a counselor who can work a cognitive behavioral therapy, in this you think towards the support system as you try to move towards the solution.
• Try the massage therapy – Though massage does not cure the pain, it helps in feeling better and ease the tension in your muscles. For this, a massage therapist should be consulted and the intensity of the massage should be regulated as per your needs.
• Perform relaxation techniques  – Meditation and deep breathing are two techniques that could ease your pain physiologically and increase your endurance levels. Listen to some soft, soothing music or indulging in healthy activity can help you to feel better and be ready for the pain.
• Consider alternative sciences – Alternative treatments like acupuncture, spinal manipulation and, biofeedback. Acupuncture is an ancient Chinese treatment that deals with inserting thin needles into certain points of your body that are the source of inner energy of your body.

In spinal manipulation, the medical practitioner with the help of some machine or his hand adjust the spines in a way that you can move easily and with less pain.

Biofeedback focuses as to how you deal with your pain. It attaches electrodes hooked to a machine to your head that tracks your heart rate, breathing, and temperature so you could see the reaction of your pain.

Switching over to devices:

• TENS uses certain devices to transmit electric current into the skin over the area where you are feeling the pain. Your affected area receives sound waves via Ultrasound.The two techniques focus on blocking the pain by sending a message to the brain.
• Spinal cord stimulation implants a low-voltage electricity device to the spine to block pain. With the help of an operation, it can be implanted in your body.

Medications
There are some new pain medications that can be prescribed to you depending on the intensity and the cause of pain. The new pain medications include pills, syrups, lotions, balms, or sprays, which could help to ease the pain. There are over-the-counter drugs that may help to treat mild pains. But in the case of vigorous pain steroids, morphine, codeine or anesthesia may be needed; these can be prescribed by a doctor. These can have side effects but will be helpful in curing the disease.

In the case of chronic pain due to injury or accident, a surgery may be needed. You need to consult with your doctor to know the best options for you.