Living with persistent pain is like living in a home with an alarm system that’s overly sensitive.
Normally alarms go off when there’s a big threat – a door or window being forced open, or smoke from a fire. But with persistent (or chronic) pain, a complex set of circumstances has tampered with the alarm system’s settings.
It’s now set to go off for a wide variety of not-so-big-threats: like your mailman delivering a package, or a neighbor’s dog barking, or a backyard tree branch falling onto your roof.
These aren’t really threats you need to be notified of, but your alarm system’s sensitivity level is of the opinion they are. And so off goes the alarm.
Also, when an alarm is going off all the time, the neighbors become on edge as well. This can be why some of us experience referred pain - pain that has "spread" from one area to another.
It’s important to take a moment and recognize the alarm’s sensitivity isn’t a reflection on you, as the homeowner. You are as frustrated or confused as anyone else would be. Just as no one wishes their home electronics to go haywire, no one wishes for their persistent pain.
Understanding Pain Article Series
Understanding Persistent Pain: The Hair-Trigger Alarm
Understanding Persistent Pain: Mindfulness Understanding Persistent Pain: It's An Experience, Not a Signal
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Understanding Persistent Pain eBook
The nervous system is constantly evaluating a variety of cues and information that when combined create a pain experience. It's a complex process involving many parts of the mind and body. This guide will provide readers with a better understanding of persistent pain along with tools to reduce or manage it. learn more...
