Functional Pains - What Do They Mean When They Say So?

Pain is an important protective mechanism of or body, its a signaling method by which our body help us pay attention to any problem it may be facing, it not only makes us aware, but also helps localize the problem and pay attention to it. A lot of research has gone into finding its causes, and the most commonly sold drugs thus are the pain blocking drugs. 

Appreciation of pain is variable in all individuals, its so concerning to some and its no problem for others, moreover your psychological state also alters the pain feeling. If you are depressed, you feel more pain, rather than when you are in good mood. 

Is it possible that our brain can make us feel pain when there is exactly no pathology? yes, that is possible, and this is what is termed functional pain, its not because of function, but rather it inhibits your function and that too without any pathology or dysfunction causing it.

How do doctors come to know that your pain is functional. Are there any tests available. No. This depends on the clinical examination, and all the tests done are actually to be normal to call this pain functional. There are certain patient characteristics that may point towards functional pains, these are normally at multiple sites, and have no known anatomic location or pattern. They have no specific time for occurrence, the severity of these pains depends on the patients profile, few want to believe that they are sick, but others may be strong willed. 

How do we treat them. Reassurance is the key, as normally such patients are over sensitive, and need repeated reassurance to get rid of there symptoms, the other big question is. Are drugs help full? Yes they are but only to a certain situation, because beyond that use of drugs actually reminds the patient of his condition, and thus do not help any more, to getting rid of the pain psychology.