Pain myths can be damaging to individuals with chronic pain. Misinformation from the media and the medical community often leads to the promise of a miracle cure. A cure that comes in the form of highly addictive drugs or invasive yet failed surgeries.
Here are some of the most common pain myths I have identified while training as a healthcare provider and treating patients with chronic pain.
Myth #1: Hurt always means harm
Pain is an alarm that is designed to protect us from danger. Remember when you put your hand on a hot stove? It hurt, and you quickly removed your hand from the heat. This is an example of a pain alarm being useful. A functional pain alarm has the following characteristic:
It happens when pain equals danger
Touching a hot stove is dangerous, as is walking on a sprained ankle.
Pain in these circumstances has its specific role of protecting you from further harm.
On the other hand, the alarm system can fail and go off without any real danger. Like a smoke alarm that goes off when you boil pasta, the brain's pain alarm can become hypersensitive and go off without danger.
Pain that goes off without any real danger still causes real pain. But this pain is not due to tissue damage.
Now it's up to you to distinguish if your pain is signalling danger or a false alarm.
For example, muscle soreness after exercise hurts, but it doesn't mean you have harmed yourself or torn a muscle.
So what can you do?
Knowing that your alarm might go off without real danger allows you to send your brain a safe message. Over time, your brain will learn to relax, and the pain alarm will decrease.
Fact: YOU CAN FEEL PAIN IN THE ABSENCE OF HARM
Myth #2: Pain means you need to stop
This might be true in acute pain, as rest can help tissues heal.
In chronic pain, however, stopping regular movement and recovering for months can lead to loss of muscle mass, social isolation, depression and reduced quality of life.
Regular movement releases feel-good chemicals in the brain, stabilising mood and reducing pain.
Fact: MOVEMENT IS MEDICINE
Myth #3: Medication and surgery are the only things that help
A pill for the ill has been a dominant belief in our society. When it comes to chronic pain, unfortunately, this has led to the current opioid crisis. Over the years, the medical community has overmedicated chronic pain leading to devastating results.
Recent research highlights that pain medications do not alleviate pain; some have hefty side effects or addiction.
There is even something called the failed back surgery syndrome, which refers to persistent and recurrent symptoms after surgery.
There is no magic pill for chronic pain. We must actively manage and turn down our pain alarms to overcome pain.
Fact: NO MAGIC PILL OR SURGERY CAN FIX CHRONIC PAIN
Myth #4: Pain is all in your head
This is probably one of the most frustrating and hurtful myths if you face chronic pain daily.
Because chronic pain is an invisible illness, it is often assumed that it has to be made up.
It s true that mental health can influence the severy of pain. Still, the pain is a real sensation, and you should never let anyone tell you otherwise.
The issue with chronic neuroplastic pain is that no structural problem is identifiable. Most MRIs and X-rays are within normal limits. Thus focusing on the source of the pain, like your back or your shoulder, is often not helpful.
However, because the pain sensation is processed in your brain, strategies that help to retain the brain can successfully turn off the first pain alarm. Many scientifically proven treatments for chronic pain include pain reprocessing therapy, mindfulness infection, physical activities and emotional reprocessing therapy.
Fact: PAIN IS ALWAYS REAL. PAIN IS NEVER IN YOUR HEAD BUT ALWAYS IN YOUR BRAIN.
Myth #5: Persistent pain means pain forever
If you've been in pain for weeks, months or even years, having hope for a life without pain can diminish.
It is important to note that chronic pain does not mean pain forever. With the research being conducted, solid evidence suggests that the changes seen in the brain due to chronic pain are reversible.
Fact: CHRONIC PAIN DOES NOT MEAN FOREVER PAIN
Bottom line
Most of us have misconceptions about pain. We have learned from TV commercials, family, friends, or even doctors.
Learning how to bust these myths can help you better manage your pain and experience a better quality of life.
References:
Krashin, D., Murinova, N. & Sullivan, M. Challenges to Treatment of Chronic Pain and Addiction During the “Opioid Crisis”. Curr Pain Headache Rep 20, 65 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11916-016-0596-2
Orhurhu VJ, Chu R, Gill J. Failed Back Surgery Syndrome. [Updated 2022 May 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2022 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539777/
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