Do we Imagine Pain when there is no cause of Pain?

There have been cases where people have reported sharp pain in certain parts of the body but the doctors found no abnormality to justify the pain. The doctors suggested painkillers anyway and everything became normal in a few hours till it happened again. So, were these patients imagining pain? Is it even possible to imagine pain to such intensity that you start feeling it physically?

The answer is that you can’t imagine the pain. And there is no restriction or exception for any scenario. Even if extensive examinations have shown that a patient is physically healthy and there are no organic processes that could explain the pain or its intensity, the pain is still real and the patient has it.

Knowing that you are not a simulator with pain for which neither X-rays or blood tests provide any indications should be reassuring. But it is crucial how you deal with such pain? With tablets? With injections? Or even with an operation? A study has shown that sham knee operations, which ultimately do not change the joint, can very well relieve the patients of their pain. It has been proven that with these cases, it is the care that relieves pain. The patient sees that the doctor is doing something for him and that he wants to help him.

Tablets don’t help the situation

For the specialists, however, there is no question that this is not a viable option. If you treat a pain physically, even though there is no physical cause, it usually harms the patient. And that doesn’t just apply to surgery, it also applies to painkillers because they have side effects. Not only that but the pain will be back after two weeks at the latest because the doctor did not treat the problem. Neither painkillers, injections nor a sham surgery can do anything about it.

Reason Why We Feel Pain Without Physical Injury?

What are the circumstances that lead to pain that cannot be explained physically? The problem in these cases most probably is of a mental nature. A mental injury is expressed through the pain felt. It can be a severe trauma, such as abuse or emotional neglect, that those affected perceive it, at some point, as body pain. But it can also simply be a persistent mental or social everyday stress behind the seemingly inexplicable pain.

Stress Is a Pain Enhancer

This is often the case with back pain. Conflicts in the family, high pressure at work, anger with the boss, tensions between colleagues, depressing and undigested experiences, all of these can trigger back pain and increase it constantly.

Stress is a pain intensifier. The overload leads to physical tension, especially when it comes to pulling yourself together, not showing any sign of it and continuing to work perfectly. The muscles hardens and softens, which causes pain. But to continue with pain as before increases the overload. A self-reinforcing process starts and the sensitivity to pain grows.

Treatment lies in Happiness

If the thoughts circle around the pain and if you give them a lot of attention, they increase. The fear that the pain may be due to a serious illness can also increase it. Anyone who notices that the pain is decreasing their performance may sometimes slip into depression. And that also makes the pain worse. Those who are depressed experience greater pain and that is why treating any depression is crucial if you want to alleviate pain that has no physical cause.

But with or without depression, ultimately, in these cases it is about strengthening the patient. The patient has to learn to control stress better. Regular breaks are important. The workplace situation may have to be changed. You have to make sure that you take the pressure off the patient. Specialized pain therapists, psychologists and social workers act hand in hand. The main focus is, what is fun and relaxing for the patient. Because the patient has to find joy in life. It is an effective remedy for pain.