We've all felt discomfort. It is among the most common signs that patients seek medical attention for. However, it is often misunderstood or ineffectively treated.

One reason for this is the fact that the feeling of a painful experience can differ from one person another. In this post, we list the most commonly encountered types of Nerve Blocks and Injections and offer suggestions on the best type of treatment. There isn't a one-size-fits all solution.

Different types of pain

Pain is a general term that describes any kind of uncomfortable or unpleasant sensation that is felt in the body.

There are many different kinds and causes of pain that can be put into eight distinct categories to help with managing pain

Acute pain

Chronic pain

Breakthrough pain

Bone pain

Nerve pain

Phantom pain

Pain in the soft tissue

Referred pain.

Acute pain

It can happen abruptly and lasts just a few days.

It is usually caused by a specific event or injury, such as:

A cracked bone

A car crash or another types of accident

A fall

Cuts or burns

Dental work

Childbirth and labor

Surgery.

Chronic pain

Chronic pain refers to pain which persists for longer than six months, and is felt every day. Although it may initially be acute pain, the Spinal Cord Stimulation persistent for many years after the event or injury. Chronic pain ranges from moderate to extreme and is often associated with conditions like:

Arthritis

Back pain

Cancer

Circulation problems

Diabetes

Fibromyalgia

Headache.

Chronic pain can severely affect a person's quality of life and hinder them from returning to work or engaging in physical activity. It may lead to anxiety and isolation from social networks in some situations.

Breakthrough Pain

Breakthrough pain refers to a sudden, brief, sharp rise in pain that occurs in those who already take medication to ease chronic pain that is caused by ailments like cancer, arthritis, or fibromyalgia.

The pain that breaks through can also be called a pain flare and it may occur when you exercise or engage in physical activity or anxiety, coughing, illness, or during the period between the doses of pain medications. While the pain may be extreme but the exact site is almost always identical to chronic pain.

Bone pain

This can be a sensation of feeling of pain, tenderness or pain in one or more joints which can be felt during exercising and rest.

Bone pain may be caused by conditions that alter the bone's structure and function, like cancer, infection, mineral deficiencies, sickle cell disease, osteoporosis and leukemia. Women who are pregnant experience pain in the pelvic girdle.

Nerve Pain

The pain in the nerve can be caused by nerve inflammation or damage. It is typically described as a burning, shooting or stabbing feeling. It can also be known as neuralgia, neuropathic pain or simply nerve pain. It is sometimes described as an electric shock, and can be more intense at night.

The pain of nerves can cause serious difficulties in one's everyday life, affecting their work, sleep, and physical activity. They can be extremely sensitive to cold and may experience pain with even the slightest touching. Patients suffering from chronic nerve pain may also suffer from depression and anxiety.

People with neuropathic pain are often very sensitive to touch or cold and experience pain due to stimuli that would not normally be painful, like brushing the skin.

Phantom Pain

Phantom pain feels like it is coming from an area of your body which isn't there anymore. It is common in people who have had a limb amputated, however it is distinct from phantom limb sensation which is generally painless.

The past was when doctors believed that the phantom pain to be a psychological issue, but now they realize these are real pain signals that originate in the brain and spinal cord. It usually gets better over time, however dealing with phantom pain may be a challenge for certain people.

The pain in the soft tissue

It is a condition that can cause discomfort or pain because of injury or inflammation to the tissues, muscles, and ligaments. It could be accompanied by swelling or bruising and common causes include:

Pain in the back or neck

Bursitis

Fibromyalgia

Rotator cuff injury

Sciatic pain

Sports injuries, for example, strains or sprains

Syndrome of the Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ).

Referred pain

This is pain that feels like it's coming from one particular location and is actually the result of an injury or inflammation in another structure or organ. The pain experienced in a heart attack may be experienced in the neck and left shoulder, as well as the right arm. A constant feeling of pain radiating to the back from the stomach or pancreas injury can signal inflammation. The shoulder blade is often painful. could be due to an enlarged stomach.

The reason for this is that there is a network of interconnecting sensory nerves, which are responsible for the supply of various tissues. A laceration in one part of the network could be misinterpreted by the brain as being located in another part of the network.