What are the different types of pain?

Let’s start by answering one of the most common questions I get as a physio, what is pain?

Pain is a response the body produces to notify us when something is wrong. When the body detects a stimulus that has the potential or has already caused damage, the pain response is triggered. The body reacts to stop this stimulus from causing further damage. The type of pain and the experience is profoundly individual and can vary according to both a person’s mental and physical state.

Types of Pain

1. Nociceptive pain

The most common type of pain is nociceptive pain. Nerve endings called nociceptors detect pain in the body through tissue like the skin, bone, muscles, and joints. They are also in organ walls, and layers around the brain and chest and abdominal cavities. Nociceptive pain occurs when these receptors detect a stimulus that reaches a level that has the potential to cause damage to tissue. This form of pain is categorised as visceral pain or somatic pain. Visceral pain occurs within the body such as an organ within your chest or abdomen and feels like squeezing or cramping. Symptoms of somatic pain are caused by tissue damage, such as damage to muscles, bones, and tendons. Somatic pain occurs from a broken bones, joint conditions, tissue diseases and cancers that affect skin and bone among others.

A close up of a woman with her hand pressed on her back | Featured image on Types of Pain.

2. Neuropathic pain

Pain caused by dysfunction in the somatosensory system is called neuropathic pain and can occur without any apparent cause. The somatosensory system is the way the body senses stimulus such as touch, temperature, pain and movement. Diseases or injuries can disrupt this system, affecting the signals which are sent through nerves to the spinal cord and brain. Symptoms include burning or ‘shooting’ pain and hypersensitivity to touch. This can result in poor sleep and increased anxiety and depression. The symptoms of neuropathic pain are often seen in spinal cord injuries, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, HIV infection, strokes, and Parkinson’s.

3. Acute pain

Acute pain is a short-term and sudden onset pain that has a specific cause. It is self-limiting, meaning it will only last the duration of the injury or disease. The timeframe for acute pain lasts up to 6 months. Examples of this type of pain result from cuts, broken bones and soft tissue injuries.

4. Chronic pain

Chronic pain is pain that lasts longer than 6 months following an acute injury or disease. Pain signals can remain active long after an injury or disease has healed. Chronic pain can occur even without a previous injury. Arthritis, cancer, nerve and back pain are all common conditions that can cause chronic pain. Symptoms include fatigue, limited mobility and increased anxiety and depression.

Other tips for talking about pain

Pain is a very personal experience that varies from person to person. What feels very painful to one person may only feel like mild pain to another. And other factors, such as your emotional state and overall physical health, can play a big role in how you feel pain.

Describing your pain accurately can make it easier for your doctor to find the cause of your pain and recommend the right treatment. If possible, write down details of your pain before your appointment to help you be as clear as possible.

Here are some things your doctor will want to know:

  • how long you’ve had the pain
  • how often your pain occurs
  • what brought on your pain
  • what activities or movements make your pain better or worse
  • where you feel the pain
  • whether your pain is localized to one spot or spread out
  • if your pain comes and goes or is constant

Be sure to use words that best describes the type of pain you feel.

Here are a few words to consider using:

  • burning
  • sharp
  • dull
  • intense
  • aching
  • cramping
  • shooting
  • stabbing
  • gnawing
  • gripping
  • pressure
  • heavy
  • tender
  • prickly
  • stinging

Keeping a pain diary to track your symptoms can also be helpful. Take note of things like:

  • when it starts
  • how long it lasts
  • how it feels
  • where you feel it
  • how severe it is on a scale of 1 to 10
  • what brought on or triggered the pain
  • what, if anything, made it better
  • any medications or treatments used

If you do keep a pain diary, make sure to bring it along to your next doctor’s appointment.

Pain and pain management

Pain is more than just a feeling of discomfort. It can affect the way you feel overall. It may also lead to mental health conditions, like depression and anxiety. The amount of pain you experience can tell your doctor a lot about your overall health.

Acute pain happens suddenly, usually in a matter of days or weeks. It tends to resolve within a few weeks.

Chronic pain is ongoing. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), pain is considered to be chronic when it lasts beyond 3 monthsTrusted Source.

Pain-relief methods range from at-home treatments and prescriptions to over-the-counter (OTC) medications and invasive procedures, like surgery.

Pain relief doesn’t usually happen overnight, but it can. Each person’s pain experience is unique to them.

To treat the source of chronic pain, you may need to visit your doctor. Use this easy scale to help you describe your pain so you can get the relief you need.