Pain is something everybody experiences at one point or another during their lifetime, but what is pain? Pain, coming from the Latin word "poena" meaning "penalty" or "fine," is defined as a symptom of some type of physical hurt or disorder.

Effects of Pain

Physical symptoms accompanying pain may include headache, nausea, weakness, dizziness, diarrhea, drowsiness, perspiration and constipation. Emotional symptoms of pain may include anger, crying, mood swings, depression, irritability or suicidal feelings. Lifestyle changes associated with pain may include work, interpersonal relationships, recreation, self-care activities and the general ability to get around.

Treatments for Pain

Analgesics are commonly used to relieve pain. Other treatments for pain include ice placed on the location of the pain to reduce inflammation and overall discomfort. Emotion support to deal with related anxiety or depression is often effective in providing a distraction to the individual until the pain or discomfort subsides.

Types of Pain

Sir Victor Horsely and his colleagues first reported on surgical relief of pain in 1891. Today, pain is characterized in two basic categories: acute and chronic.

• Acute Pain - Acute pain refers to pain lasting less than 3 months. It can also refer to pain directly related to tissue damage. Acute pain acts to alert the body of a potentially dangerous situation starting when sense receptors in he skin or body's internal organs become activated. The cause of acute pain is usually able to be diagnosed and treated.

Tramadol for Acute Pain

Tramadol, used for moderate to severe pain relief, has been shown to be effective in providing relief of acute pain. Acute pain generally means that you will need some type of pain medication on a steady or ongoing basis. Prescription Tramadol is safe and effective way to treat acute pain since it works by providing relief over a specific time period.

It is important to talk to your doctor about Tramadol to see if this particular drug will treat the type of acute pain that you have. There are many types of acute pain and your doctor will be able to let you know which type of acute pain you have and if Tramadol is right for you.

Tramadol has a low dosage, so the pain will still be noticeable in some form, but not to the point where you cannot function. This makes it less likely to form an addiction to this pain reliever. It is important to have a pain test in order to pinpoint all possible sources of pain.

• Chronic Pain - Chronic pain refers to pain lasting longer than 3 months. The cause of chronic pain, unlike acute pain, is not always easy to determine. According to the the European Federation of IASP Chapters, 50% of older people living in an assisting living home and more than 80% living at home endure some type of chronic pain.

Typical conditions involving chronic pain include some cancers, osteoarthritis, some forms of diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, lower back pain, shoulder and neck pain, some types of headaches (usually migraines), myofascial pain syndromes, stump and phantom limb pain, post-thoracotomy pain, herpes zoster (or shingles), chronic regional pain syndromes, post-mastectomy pain, Temporomandibular Joint Disorder (TMJ), angina pectoris and chronic visceral pain syndromes.

Complete relief of chronic pain is not always possible. Treatment for chronic pain will vary by patient and ultimately depends on the ability to pinpoint a cause or source. Typical treatments for chronic pain include medications, brain stimulation, acupuncture and local electrical stimulation.

Tramadol for Chronic Pain

Tramadol can be effective for chronic pain by providing strong pain relief to help manage ongoing pain. Tramadol is taken in low dosages. This makes Tramadol especially effective for chronic pain. Those suffering from chronic pain often have to take particular medications for a long period of time. This means there is an increased risk of addiction. Since Tramadol is delivered in low dosages, the risk of addiction is greatly reduced.

Talk to Your Doctor

As with any type of medication, it is important to talk to your doctor and see if and how Tramadol can help you manage acute and chronic pain.