Obstetrics & gynaecology

Pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy is common, but can be relieved

Acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) are two interchangeable treatments to relieve pelvic girdle pain during pregnancy. Both treatments also alleviate the pregnant woman's concern about pain, ...

Medical research

A potential active ingredient for nerve regeneration

Nerve fibers (axons) transmit brain and spinal cord signals through nerves to target muscles or skin, and vice versa. Damage to these fibers thus leads to a disruption of connections and, consequently, to paralysis or numbness. ...

Medical research

New study shows a role for cholesterol in pain perception

When you stub your toe or bump your head, you know that rubbing the injury can lessen the ouch. But how? New research from the lab of Scott B. Hansen, Ph.D., shows how physical pressure on cells can reduce pain signals, while ...

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Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting alcohol on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone." The International Association for the Study of Pain has a definition that is widely used: "Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage".

Pain motivates the individual to withdraw from damaging situations, to protect a damaged body part while it heals, and to avoid similar experiences in the future. Most pain resolves promptly once the painful stimulus is removed and the body has healed, but sometimes pain persists despite removal of the stimulus and apparent healing of the body; and sometimes pain arises in the absence of any detectable stimulus, damage or disease.

Pain is the most common reason for physician consultation in the United States. It is a major symptom in many medical conditions, and can significantly interfere with a person's quality of life and general functioning. Psychological factors such as social support, hypnotic suggestion, excitement, or distraction can significantly modulate pain's intensity or unpleasantness.

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