Pain is a signal that the body has been damaged or something is wrong. In evolutionary terms pain was a signal which told us to stop what we were doing or to take alternative action.
Because of the danger involved in pain the pain signal had to be strong and hard to ignore. The pain signal is closely linked to what is known as the 'Flight or Fight Syndrome.
Now the question is How does it work???
The spinal cord is the main route for all pain messages to the brain, where pain is then registered. Essentially there are two ways pain signals travel to the brain. The first is the fast way (motorway) the second the slow way (side roads). The former leads to sharp stabbing pain and the latter to a continuous dull and / or aching pain. Of course feelings of pain can be a mixture of these two. There are also two distinct types of pain. They are acute and chronic.
Acute pain ..... usually means something new and or serious has happened and we may need to take action (e.g., when we fall and hurt ourselves).
Chronic pain...... is more commonly associated with an old injury or the slow bodily changes which are painful.
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