Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

Pain is an unpleasant and distressing physical sensation caused by disease or injury, which induces hurt and anxiety in those suffering from it.
There are many different manifestations of pain, ranging from short term (acute pain) to long term (chronic pain). Other classifications include pain in the internal organs (visceral pain), injured tissue (inflammatory pain), nerves (neuropathic pain), etc.

The reason for the occurrence of pain depends on the cause and kind of pain being experienced. In most cases, pain acts as a warning sign that the body has been afflicted by a disorder of some sort, which may have arisen due to internal sickness or external wounding. Acute pains are generally cured on their own through rest or simple medication. Chronic pains, on the other hand, are more complicated in nature and the treatment requires more elaborate diagnosis.

The mechanism of pain

Pain is an extremely personal and subjective experience and affects each individual to varying degrees. The pain signals, which can arise in any part of the body, travel through the spinal cord to the brain along thousands of specialized nerves and nerve fibres. In the brain, it is processed in the centres associated with anxiety, emotions, memory, appetite, etc. Signals and pain inputs are then returned from the brain to the spinal cord, which may heighten or diminish pain.

In some cases, pain may also be induced by damage to the brain and spinal cord, which happens after a stroke.
A constant barrage of pain signals may cause the cells at the end of nerve fibres to become over-sensitized. This is known as 'wind-up' and is one of the most common causes of chronic pain that occurs even though the root of the problem has been identified and treated.

The causes and effects of pain differ from case to case depending on the signals received by the brain and its interpretation. It affects the individual's day to day activities and if persistent, can also have a harmful impact on mental health and psychosis. Pain is always handled, diagnosed and treated differently in all patients by drawing out the best possible solution to the problem.





Why does PAIN occur? Understand the Mechanism of Pain

Knee pain is one of the most common and painful ailments that can limit mobility. Injuries can result in cartilage or meniscal tears or sprains too. Obesity is another reason because of which knee pain is on the rise. Also, regular wear and tear of ligaments and tendons around the knees due to old age is another cause. These days, with reduced physical activities and sedentary lifestyles, the rate at which knees are wearing out has also become accelerated. Whatever the reason, a correct diagnosis followed by prompt treatment can help. Over the years, physiotherapy has been playing an important role in treating knee injuries. Whether to supplement the various drugs to reduce pain and inflammation or to avoid surgery, physiotherapy has helped many and its popularity is growing every day. Here are some ways that physiotherapy can help reduce pain.

Improve flexibility of tendons: The knee cap is an area where there are lot of tendons and ligaments, coordinating to enable movement. Careful exercising can ensure that the flexibility of tendons and ligaments is improved, thereby making your knee movement easier and less painful.
Improves blood supply: As we all know, proper movement requires good blood supply. Exercising with special focus on the knee ensures that blood supply is improved, and thereby the supporting ligaments and tendons function optimally.
Enhances the knee cap function: The knee cap is that portion which joins your thigh bone to your calf bones. This is prone to slip out of place, especially with arthritis and injuries. This can be painful and limit movement to a great degree. Focused exercises aimed at improving knee cap function will ensure that the knee cap has a wider range of function, and does not slip out of its socket easily.
Reduce rigidity: Once you start physiotherapy, you will feel your knees getting more flexible. The rigidity that had set in as a result of injuries and/or old age will also reduce over a period of time.
Slow down the wear and tear: When you start physiotherapy after knee damage, continuing the exercise routine, of course with expert guidance, can reduce the pace at which further damage might happen. A word of caution though. Be sure to consult an experienced physiotherapist before you begin. Exercising in a bad manner can do equal or more harm than the original injury or old age itself.

Knee Pain and Physiotherapy

According to physiologists, human bodies are of three types: endomorph, mesomorph and ectomorph. Endomorphs are round and fat; they find it difficult to lose weight. Mesomorphs are neither too fat nor too thin; they can lose the weight they gain very easily. Ectomorphs are usually thin and tall; they can eat whatever they want without gaining much weight.

If you are an ectomorph and you wish to gain weight, the bad news is that it will be difficult for you. Your metabolic rate is too high and your muscle growth is comparatively lower. If you want to gain muscles, you need a comprehensive workout routine and the right diet. Along with the right training, you need to remember to eat from the three major food groups: carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

I. Carbohydrates: Carbohydrate is the main energy source for your body and you need 50-60 per cent of it in your daily intake. The foods you can include in your diet are as follows:
1. Fruits
2. Oatmeal
3. Potatoes
4. Yam
5. Pasta
6. Whole grain cereal
7. Quinoa
8. Vegetables

II. Proteins: Protein is the most important macronutrient (food you need in huge amounts in your diet). Protein plays an important part in repairing your body and building muscles. You need 1.5 grams of protein intake as per your bodyweight. Proteins you can eat include:
1. Lean meat (Such as turkey or chicken)
2. Fish (Such as halibut, tilapia, cod, etc.)
3. Seafood (Such as crabs, prawns or lobsters)
4. Eggs
5. Skim milk
6. Whey protein
7. Cottage cheese

III. Fats: The correct fat intake will raise your testosterone levels (this hormone is responsible for muscle growth), protect the joints in your body, provide extra energy and improve your mood. You can add fat to your diet by consuming the following foods:
1. Nuts
2. Organic nut butter (Such as peanut butter or almond butter)
3. Fatty fish such as salmon, sardines, trout, tuna, mackerel and herring
4. Healthy oils (Such as olive oil, fish oil or flaxseed oil)
5. Avocado

Diet Tips for an Ectomorph

Caffeine is said to be good for the body if it is consumed in limited quantity. It is also to be kept in mind that the form in which it is consumed is also important, and green tea is said to be very good. But what about having green tea very soon after a meal is finished?

There are a lot of health benefits of green tea and as a drink, it has a reputation for being a wonder drink, and quite rightly so, it is to be kept in mind that having the right time to drink green tea is a must. You must avoid consuming just after the meal as there are chemicals, which exist in green tea which are known as phenols. What happens with these phenols if the green tea is taken not long after a meal, is that they can interfere with the absorption of the iron present in the food.

In addition to not drinking green tea at mealtime, or post mealtime, it is perhaps also a good idea to stay away from drinking it when milk and items which are made from milk such as cheese are being consumed. There is a reason why this is the case is that the proteins which exist in milk do not let green tea have its normal effect on the metabolism of the person i.e. raising the metabolism and making the challenge of losing weight a bit easier.

If it is still the case that drinking green tea with or after a meal is a habit, which has no chance at all of being shaken off, then what can be done is that the meals should be changed to an extent to contain a greater amount of iron-rich food. This will go some way in counteracting the effect the phenols have. Apart from just iron-rich food, food that is rich in vitamin C is also to be consumed.

However, that being said, people who are anyway deficient in iron are better off steering clear of green tea consumed after a meal. Instead, what they can do if have it between meals and also at the start of a day. What this will accomplish is that all the benefits of the green tea can be imbibed by the body and none of the nutrition value of the food is lost either. Furthermore, green tea drunk between meals can also reduce the appetite and help weight loss. What could be better? If you wish to discuss any specific problem, you can consult a doctor.

Related Content: Auric mind rejuvenation drink, the magical beverage that calm and energises the mind.

There are a lot of health benefits of green tea and as a drink, it has a reputation for being a wonder drink, and quite rightly so, it is to be kept in mind that having the right time to take green tea is a must. You must avoid consuming just after the meal as there are chemicals, which exist in green tea which are known as phenols. What happens with these phenols if the green tea is taken not long after a meal, is that they can interfere with the absorption of the iron present in the food.

Green Tea - How Having it Right after Your Meal Affects You?

7 food combos to help you get that gorgeous figure

Nowadays, each and every one of us is extremely conscious of our dietary habits and make sure that we consume the right foods. Thus, we are also aware of many healthy foods which not only help us crush fat but also provide a great boost to our metabolism. We bring to you 5 food pairings which work wonders for your figure when consumed together:

1. Ginger and tuna
Ginger prevents inflammation of the body caused due to bloating and also speeds up gastric emptying. Tuna, on the other hand, stops the growth of belly fat cells and contains docosahexaenoic acid which protects against stress chemicals, thus preventing flab storage. Thus, start pairing up your tuna roll with that ginger pickle!

2. Honey and cinnamon
Daily dose of honey with the goodness of cinnamon is the perfect recipe for a picture-perfect body. Cinnamon is packed with healthy antioxidants that help curb belly fat accumulation. Moreover, honey is known to aid in weight loss and enhance immunity.

3. Raspberries and yogurt
This combination is an extremely effective slimming agent. Yogurt is a rich source of vitamin d and calcium which helps prevent the absorption of fat. As for raspberries, they contain polyphenols which stop the formation of fat. Also, they are packed with insoluble fiber that increases ghrelin levels, a hormone that regulates hunger.

4. Spinach and bananas
Spinach contains almost zero calories and is known to significantly increase satiety levels. Bananas are packed with potassium that prevents bloating and gives the body a lean look. They also contain resistant starch which resists digestion and thus not only promotes oxidation of fat but also brings down the level of abdominal fat. So go make that smoothie now.

5. Watermelon and apples
Apples are abundant sources of fiber which is essential for the reduction of visceral fat. Watermelon is the perfect fruit for decreasing fat accumulation and improving lipid profiles. Consume these fruits together as a salad, dessert or snack; they are packed with good health!

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7 Food Combos to Help you get that Gorgeous Figure

Onions are a part of the Allium group of vegetables and herbs, which additionally include chives, garlic, scallions and leeks. Allium vegetables have been known for a long time for their specialty of sharp flavours as well as for their curing and healing properties. Onions are a thick and layered vegetable and while they are low in calories, they are highly advantageous when it comes to a steady supply of vitamins, nutrients, minerals and cancer prevention agents. Here is how consuming onions can be very beneficial for your health:

Organosulfer compounds: Allium vegetables have broadly been known as cancer prevention agents, particularly stomach and colorectal tumours. They have beneficial and healing impacts are likely due to a limited amount of organosulfur compounds present in them as compared to other vegetables.
Folate: Folate, found in onions, may help with depression by keeping an overabundance of homocysteine from shaping in the body, which can keep blood and different nutrients from reaching the brain. Abundance of homocysteine hinders the growth of serotonin, which is the happiness hormone.
Vitamin C: Adequate intake of vitamin C is required for the building and support of collagen, which gives a sheen and volume to the skin and hair, respectively. Onions have abundance of vitamin C.
Other Vitamins: Onion contains common sugar, vitamins A, B6, C, E and minerals, for example, sodium, potassium, press and dietary fibre. More importantly, onions contain folic acid, which is very important for a woman s health especially for pregnant women.
Prebiotics: Prebiotics are not generally recommended in heavy doses, however, they sustain the good bacteria in your body. These valuable bacteria then help with the processing and digestion of your food. They help the immune system to a great extent. One such prebiotic is inulin, a water-dissolvable type of dietary fibre that is found in onions. It helps in preventing ulcers.
Sulfur: Sulfur helps in bringing down cholesterol and triglycerides. The allium and allyl disulphide in onions have likewise been said to get rid of vein stiffness by discharging nitric oxide. This may reduce the racing heartbeat, get rid of blood clots and decline the danger of heart diseases, vascular diseases and strokes.
Quercetin: Quercetin in onions is additionally helpful. It offers both cancer prevention agents and mitigating properties that may help the heart.
Cardio-vascular diseases: Onions are shockingly high in gainful polyphenols. These play a critical part in averting and decreasing the movement of diabetes, cancer and neurodegenerative and cardiovascular diseases.
Regular antihistamin: Quercetin helps in cell reinforcement. It has calming properties that may help fight the painful symptoms of chronic diseases like coronary illness and cancer. Quercetin has been successful in preventing histamine discharge (histamines are the chemicals that cause allergic reactions).
Therefore, onions should be consumed regularly in either a raw form or in your daily vegetables. They not only are easy to consume and digest, but also give you life-long health benefits.

Onions - 9 Reasons You Must Consume Them!

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