It is not uncommon for two persons suffering from the same kind of pain to perceive it in different ways or degrees. In fact, a person's perception of and reaction to pain are always unique. This is owing to the fact that the perception of pain does not depend solely on the physical trauma or trigger which initially causes it but it depends to a greater extent on the way the brain handles or reacts to the trigger. While one aspect of pain is uncontrollable (the injury or trauma), the other aspect which involves signals that the brain sends, is completely controllable and manageable. That is why some people are able to handle pain better than others.
A person's tolerance for pain is a product of past experiences of similar pain, emotions and stress. This proves that pain tolerance does not come pre-packaged. This means that a person who might have experienced an injury before may find it more difficult to handle or tolerate pain in a subsequent similar injury due to anticipation and anxiety as these emotions amplify and aggravate the perception of pain.
It also helps to divert attention away from the pain. People who tend to concentrate on the pain usually experience more pain than those who try not to think about it too much. This is where alternative forms of pain management come in. Pain management specialists encourage persons suffering from chronic pain and those under post operative pain management to minimize reliance on pain management medications and to consider healthier long-term alternatives. These alternative pain management techniques include meditation and deep breathing exercises. Through meditation and deep breathing, a person is able to shift or divert his thoughts from the pain, allowing him to escape and feel well. Listening to music is also one of the more popular alternative remedies for pain. Music does not only distract the person from his pain but relaxes and soothes him and reduces his stress. Studies have shown that the reduction of stress eases pain effectively.
Accordingly, a person who did not find his past experience as painful or a person who says "I'm not worried because I know what to expect" would probably feel less pain in a subsequent similar experience since stress and anxiety would be absent. A person's lifestyle is also a huge factor which can affect his tolerance for pain. Studies show that persons who regularly exercise have higher levels of pain tolerance than those who have sedentary lifestyles. The same also goes for those who are physically fit as opposed to obese or overweight persons. Smoking and alcohol consumption can also affect pain tolerance. Studies show that those who do not smoke or drink can handle pain more effectively than those who do.
In sum, a person's tolerance for pain depends on his willingness an determination to overcome it. A person who believes that he can handle the pain will, in most cases, succeed while a person who thinks of nothing but the pain will feel nothing but pain.
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