What is Pain VS Discomfort? | Arthritis Information

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We talk so much about pain, and comfort....I just want to see if we can (even vaugely) define the difference.

 
I'm gonna use what happened about 10 minutes ago as an example:
 
I was walking from the back of the hotel to the front, and I noticed that every time I stepped down, it felt like my knee caps were going to pop up and out of my skin. For a second I thought "Man that really hurts!" and then I did a double take on that thought..."well maybe it's just icky because of what it feels like, but its not actually painful?"
 
And then I couldn't decide. Yes, it was pinchy and pressure-ey and what not, but it was also REALLY uncomfortable. Was it more uncomfortable, than painful? I don't know.
 
Would I keep walking if I had something important to do? Yeah. If I didn't have anything to do? No. Does that mean it wasn't really painful??? It caused me to walk funny, but not to stop walking....what does that count as??
 
So where's the line in all of this? Because I know that "just being uncomfortable" is never a good enough reason for a doctor to give you pain meds. And honestly, I wouldn't want them.
 
But when you are stuck in a mind battle of "is this pain, or discomfort?" it can be REALLY REALLY draining. Really draining.
 
Really....really.....draining..........
there are lots of definiation of pain.  It can be sharp, dull, prickly, throbbing etc.  So extremely uncomfortable is pain and is worth getting checked out
Good question, Katie. I think they go hand in hand. IMO discomfort would be something that makes you not want to do something but you do it anyhow. Pain makes you not want to do it at all. I'll use Costochodritis (since it's near and dear to my heart now) as an example. The first day I couldn't, and did not want to, take a deep breath, cough or sneeze because of the sharp pain it caused. The next couple of days was more like discomfort. I was able to take deep breaths without stopping in the middle. Don't get me wrong, it still hurt. It was just nowhere near as bad. Did I make any sense at all?
 
I bet LEV has a great article tucked away somewhere that will totally help!! Yeah, that did make sense.
 
So my follow up question is a little weirder:
 
Does the length of time you are uncomfortable, change what pain means? For example - if you're uncomfortable for 2 months, you'd be a lot pissier about it than just being uncomfortable for a day. But that's not to say it "hurts" any more or less.
 
Do I make sense?
"impact emotional and mental health"
 
Oh.
 
My.
 
God.
 
You have no idea. :| LOL

i so believe that duration as well as attitude affect how you perceive pain.  I know on some days for me the same pain level that on other days would be a 4 is a 7. 

I hate speaking in generalities..but I do think that most of us tend to downplay our pain levels.  Partially cause we get used to it but I also think that however we describe our daily pain anything out of the ordinary that catches our attention should be checked out. 
 
Any pain or discomfort that has lasted for several months and is worsening is not good no matter how we describe it.  Its changed and its different which means something new is going on
I remember the first time I had a medrol dosepak.  After a couple days, my feet felt very strange.  It took me a while to realize that strange feeling was actually the absence of pain, for the first time in months.  I had become so used to it that it felt strange not to hurt! The absence of pain is definitely a strange feeling, but then you have discomfort to take it's place. hehe
Take today for instance. I don't really hurt perse (2 of 10) but I am uncomfortable.
LOL Love the quote!!!


Y'all have no idea how much this thread helped me :)
My take on pain vs discomfort is that discomfort can be described as being something that feels unusual or odd, not normal, uncomfortable. So you can have discomfort in your lower back from the way you are laying, and if you move or roll over it is relieved..but if you stay in the same position, eventually it becomes painful. The point at which discomfort becomes pain then being the point at which the discomfort is no longer tolerable.
You can have a mild headache that is sort of there but if you hear a funny joke or see something interesting you briefly forget about the discomfort. When the headache becomes a migraine, you are in pain...nothing makes you forget about it and the only thing you can think of is finding a way to get relief.
So that is my take on the meanings of the words. I would call it discomfort if I don't need to take a pain reliever to do my daily routine.OMG, Snow!! LMAO  
My hubby likes that one better!!
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