Just because you're still having pain doesn't mean you haven't “healed,” and just because your pain is gone doesn't mean your tissue is fully healed. Pain and tissue healing are not solely dependent on one another. Sadly, it's more complicated than that. Complete healing is not necessary in order to restore function.
Hurting is part of healing, and sometimes the healing process takes longer than we'd want or expect it to. If you find yourself stuck in this process and unsure how to manage it on your own, it might support you to work with a therapist, who can serve as a compassionate companion along your journey through pain.
Chemicals released by the damaged tissue signal the circulatory system to send white blood cells to the injured area. These white blood cells then remove the damaged tissue from the injury site. After the inflammation stage is complete, the “repair” phase can begin.
The International Association for the Study of Pain defines pain as “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential damage, or described in terms of such damage” (Mersky & Bogduk, 1994).
This is because the sensation of pain is sometimes believed to be purely physical, and in the past, that was the general consensus of the medical world. However, through research and study, it's now realised that pain is in fact not only physical, but biological, psychological and emotional as well.
Neither the main pain location nor the emotional variables or pain parameters (e.g. pain intensity) had a significant association with the IQ scores.
Pain Reveals Us
Many people don't know what they are capable of until they face their pain. It is only what we face that we can phase out. Pain gives us the platform to express abilities that have been long subdued in us. Some people just go through life, but mastering your pain makes you grow through life.
Scientists who study pain and doctors who treat pain consider the experience a strictly physical phenomenon, in the sense that it can only be caused by injury to the body.
Researchers have established that crying releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, also known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals help ease both physical and emotional pain.
“All pain is real, no matter what is causing it. But also, all pain is made by the brain in response to the information available to it.” According to his work and that of others, the degree of pain is not a reliable indicator of the severity of injury. And sometimes there is pain without any tissue damage at all.
In contrast however, untreated pain can also impact wound healing since it potentially impacts tissue perfusion and oxygenation(18, 19) and may interfere with proper wound care, debridement and dressing changes(20).
The link between pleasure and pain is deeply rooted in our biology. For a start, all pain causes the central nervous system to release endorphins – proteins which act to block pain and work in a similar way to opiates such as morphine to induce feelings of euphoria.
Pain is not only a necessity but also a blessing, because it warns us, corrects us, guides us, and brings us to Jesus. Pain can be a blessing in many different ways, and the first is as a warning system.
Past experiences, as well as trauma, can influence a person's sensitivity and perception of pain. Pain researchers believe regular exposure to painful stimuli can increase one's pain tolerance. Some individuals learn to handle pain by becoming more conditioned to it.
Spiritual pain is often broken down into four categories: Meaning – struggling with the “meaning” behind life, relationships, and the world around you. Forgiveness – pain that stems from forgiving others, ourselves and God. Relatedness – dealing with relationships, whether good or bad.
It won't rid you of PTSD and your fears, but let your tears flow and you'll maybe feel a little better afterwards. 'Crying for long periods of time releases oxytocin and endogenous opioids, otherwise known as endorphins. These feel-good chemicals can help ease both physical and emotional pain.
Crying also soothes us by facilitating the release of oxytocin (also called the cuddle hormone). This induces a sense of calm and well-being, helping us sleep peacefully.
Chan, however, says that if you feel emotional and want to cry, it is best to let it all out rather than holding it back. “Crying can be helpful in some situations, but remember that it's only a means for you to express your feelings, be it anger, sadness, anxiety, frustration or grief,” he says.
All of us have preferred places in our bodies where our pain, worry, and fears are most readily expressed in muscular tension. The three key areas in the body that have the potential to be most affected by emotional forces are the pelvic floor, the diaphragm, and the jaw.
And the research indicates that people can experience pain for the wrong reasons or fail to experience it when it would be very reasonable to do so. Moreover, when pain is disconnected from the physical reality, it is an illusion, too.
It has long been known that the central nervous system "remembers" painful experiences, that they leave a memory trace of pain. And when there is new sensory input, the pain memory trace in the brain magnifies the feeling so that even a gentle touch can be excruciating.
God has used our pain to strengthen us and encourage others to trust God and believe that he is working despite what we see.
John 14:27 - God provides peace
I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Sometimes an unexpected pain or illness may frighten you. Accept God's gift of peace, and let it create a calm spirit within you.
How Does God Use Our Pain? One way God uses our pain for good is to draw people closer to Christ. 2 Corinthians 7:10, “For God sometimes uses sorrow in our lives to help us turn away from sin and seek eternal life.” So, what does that mean for us? The next sentence says, “We should never regret His sending it.”
Researchers have found that persistent pain actually changes the brain. Persistent pain can cause pain receptors to become sensitive, overactive, and disinhibited, so they become activated much more easily. Because of this, you may continue to feel pain even after an injury or illness has healed.