Pain

A simple explanation

Arthritis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, back pain and soft tissue rheumatism are the commonest rheumatic disorders. Rheumatism comprises 200 different conditions affecting the spine, joints, bones and soft tissues.

We provide information about rheumatism, aids for day-to-day living and physical activity programmes in your region:

Rheumaliga Schweiz

Tel. 044 487 40 00 · info@rheumaliga.ch www.rheumaliga.ch

We are all familiar with pain. For example, when

• we graze our knee,

• we burn our hand on a hot stove or

• we are sad.

But how does pain work?

What is it there for?

And what is chronic pain?

In this leaflet, you will find answers to these questions, along with further information.

Your Rheumaliga Schweiz

Masthead

Author Martina Rothenbühler, Rheumaliga Schweiz

Text review Translation of the source text into simple language, step B1: Pro Infirmis, Büro für Leichte Sprache

Design & illustration Claudia Rohr, claudiarohr.ch

Project management Marina Frick, Rheumaliga Schweiz

Publisher © Rheumaliga Schweiz

1st edition 2023

What is pain?

Pain is a feeling. It protects us and warns us of potential danger. Pain therefore is the body’s vital alarm system. The severity of the pain does not necessarily tell us anything about how great the danger is.

We can’t see pain from the outside and we can’t measure it.

How does pain arise?

An injury or disease activates the nervous system in the body. This happens, for instance, when we fall or sustain a cut or burn. Inflammation in the body triggers the same reaction. Many people with arthritis have inflammation in their body.

The nerves transmit information from the body to the brain.

If danger is a possibility, this information in the brain can trigger pain.

What to do for pain

Usually, we automatically react correctly to pain. We protect the area, nurse it or go to a doctor.

Is your pain new?

Are you a bit afraid because of your pain?

Does the pain not go away again of its own accord? Go to your doctor. He or she will see if it is caused by an injury or disease. Treatment will be necessary depending on the result of your doctor’s examination.

When the cause is treated, the pain usually dies down.

Medications

There are various medications for pain, for example, disease-modifying drugs, anti-inflammatories and pain killers.

Disease-modifying drugs

Doctors use disease-modifying drugs to treat the underlying disease, for example, inflammatory arthritis. When the dosage is well-adjusted, the pain should decrease.

Anti-inflammatories

Inflammation also causes pain. Anti-inflammatories reduce inflammation in the body, thus relieving pain.

Pain killers

Pain killers halt the flow of information from the nerves to the brain, thus relieving the pain. Pain killers do not counteract possible inflammation or disease in the body.

Therapy

The body needs activity and exercise to get healthy again. Physiotherapy or occupational therapy helps you to live normally again as soon as possible.

What is chronic pain?

Chronic pain hurts just as much as any other pain. It is not imagined but is really present in the brain. When there is chronic pain, the brain registers danger, even when there is no danger, or at least no major danger in the body. Chronic pain tells us nothing about the degree of danger in the body. It requires a different treatment.

What to do for chronic pain

Specialists may not find any cause for your pain or it does not go away with treatment.

Try to understand your pain as well as possible. These questions will help:

• When is the pain worse?

• When does it go away?

• What does me good? What doesn’t?

A pain specialist will help you to find out which other factors make the pain worse.

Do you have to adapt your work situation?

Do you need assistance in everyday life?

Does the pain make you fearful? He or she will then arrange suitable treatment. The aim is for you to be able to cope with everyday life and to find ways and strategies to do so in spite of the pain.