Pain is a signal in your nervous system that something pain bannock be wrong. It is an unpleasant feeling, such as a prick, tingle, sting, burn, or ache. Pain may be sharp or dull. It may come and go, or it may be constant.

Pain can be helpful in diagnosing a problem. If you never felt pain, you might seriously hurt yourself without knowing it, or you might not realize you have a medical problem that needs treatment. There are two types of pain: acute and chronic. Acute pain usually comes on suddenly, because of a disease, injury, or inflammation. It can often be diagnosed and treated.

It usually goes away, though sometimes it can turn into chronic pain. Chronic pain lasts for a long time, and can cause severe problems. Pain is not always curable, but there are many ways to treat it. Treatment depends on the cause and type of pain.

There are drug treatments, including pain relievers. There are also non-drug treatments, such as acupuncture, physical therapy, and sometimes surgery. Pain and Depression: Is There a Link? Using Alcohol to Relieve Your Pain: What Are the Risks? See our disclaimer about external links and our quality guidelines.

The information on this site should not be used as a substitute for professional medical care or advice. Contact a health care provider if you have questions about your health. Whether your pain has just come on or you’ve lived with it for years, these tried-and-tested self-help steps can bring you relief. Activity also helps lessen pain by stretching stiff and tense muscles, ligaments and joints.

It’s natural to be hesitant if exercise is painful and you’re worried about doing more damage. But if you become more active gradually, it’s unlikely you’ll cause any damage or harm. The pain you feel when you start gentle exercise is because the muscles and joints are getting fitter. In the long term, the benefits of exercise far outweigh any increase in pain.

When the pain is intense it’s very easy to start taking shallow, rapid breaths, which can make you feel dizzy, anxious or panicked. This will help you to feel more in control and keep you relaxed and prevent any muscle tension or anxiety from making your pain worse. The British Pain Society’s website also has a number of booklets and patient information leaflets about managing pain. This can make the pain even worse, making you fall into a downward spiral. Living with pain is not easy and you can be your own worst enemy by being stubborn, not pacing your activities every day and not accepting your limitations. Some people find it useful to get help from a counsellor, psychologist or hypnotherapist to discover how to deal with their emotions in relation to their pain. You can also find out more about getting therapy or counselling.