Introduction
Altered central nervous system alarms
The ‘issues in the tissues’ discussed in the last
section helps explainmany aspects of pain, even
some features of painwhich are oftenwrongly
considered a bit odd. Pain nearly always involves
something going on in the tissues. Thismight be
inflammation, slow healing or tissues that are
just unfit and unused.
But to discovermore about painwemust go
further. So let’s head into the spinal cord, then
go right up inside your skull and into the brain,
the command centre of the alarm system. When
something happens in your tissues and
peripheral nerves, there will be repercussions
right through the entire system. Remember that
it is the brain that has tomake the final decision
as towhether or not you should be in pain.
‘So, are you saying that the pain is all in
my head?’
This is probably themost often asked question
from people learning about the biology of pain.
We have to be honest and say, ‘
yes
– all pain is
produced by the brain – no brain, no pain!’ This
doesn’t mean for a second that it is not real –
much to the contrary –
all pain is real
. In fact,
anyone who tells you ‘it’ is all in your head,
implying that therefore ‘it’ is not real –
does not
understand biology
. A deep understanding of
pain is greatly empowering.
Understanding the spinal cord and the brain
processes behind the pain experience can
provide youwith enormous control. We admit
that it’s a bit new for us all – some of the science
behind the understanding is very new.
explain pain
section
4
page
70
