Normal is...

[6FT2]

Could I pose a question...

Seeing as most whom read this forum has some form of permanent pain, do you sometimes wonder what is really normal pain and what is not normal pain?

I have spent 27 years in pain, with thinking that it was normal, until about 2 years ago that I was diagnosed with Marfan's Syndrome.  I don't have a problem with coping with pain...I have a problem with identifying pain and realising pain and knowing what is normal and what is not.

I don't know what is "Normal"... if that makes sense to any of you.  I am sure that there is not a minute that goes by that, if I focus on it, I don't have an ache or a pain somewhere in my body.

It makes me concerned over knowing what my body is telling me and knowing what is going on in my body.  Last year, I went to the emergency room with "slight" pain in my side (My family had to force me to go)...  doctors didn't seem to think it serious either as I wasn't showing much pain.  In the end, it turned out I had a 5mm kidney stone and eventually my body was throwing up from the pain but I didn't realise that it was in such pain.

How do I find a margin between accepteable pain, paranoya and concern...?

[kiddthekatt]

:)    :)   I agree, but until the medical field can get together and convince one and all that Fibro/Chronic Fatigue is a chronic disease/illness, we just have to keep fighting.

[6FT2]

"Growing Pains" hehe... I heard that one a couple of times in my life.  Ok, so they werent totally wrong, as I did have Osgood Schlatter (Mean version of growing pains) but they didn't even pick that up.  I had to hear it from a bio-kineticist when she asked me how long the Osgood lasted for after she noticed the bumps below my knees.  

Ughm...sorry, I do tend to sound bitter about doctors at times ;D.

Hopefully, now that the medical community is more aware of these conditions, they can identify it earlier and spare the patient pain or at least the confusion surrounding it.

Thanks for your reply.  Sometimes, and this must sound nasty, it helps to hear that someone else is suffering just as much as you LOL.

gentle hugs back

[kiddthekatt]

  This was a really good question. I've suffered from odd pains all of my life, as a child they told me that I was having growing pains. I was DXed with fibro/cfs a year and a half ago, and believe my when I say I have pain, I am having pain. I couldn't understand why every spot, every joint, every muscle could hurt so bad at one time. After having 3 major surgeries on my right knee in 7 months, the pain was unbearable! I went to my internist and told him to either find out what was wrong with me or throw some dirt on me.

   The pain of Fibro is intensified 10 fold. I get knots in my muscles as large as golf balls. The pain intensifie even more when you have to massage the knots out. So, I guess I have to answer your question with, normal pain wold be no pain. Although I haven't felt "no pain" in a long time.

gentle hugs
Angel

[6FT2]

Thank you for all your responses, it is really appreciated.  All have valid points.  The thing that my mind doesn't comprehend is like what Mollyrae said about "No pain is normal" ;D.  To me, having pain IS normal.

I have to agree with the fact that everyone has a different experience in terms of pain.  My dad, for example, goes for dental work without having any sedation... but then again, he had had his lungs collapse on him and reinflated without any anheasthetic.

To me, an absessed tooth is nothing more than an irretation, whereas a dislocating knee, pushes my pain threshold to the limit, bordering on passing out (Even though I have dislocated my knees so many times that I am sure I have some sort of record ;D ).  

Normal pain?  Stubbing a toe, touching a hot stove or accidentally burning my finger with a lighter, does tend to spark "warnings" in my brain of "you are getting hurt" and I get the affect of "stop doing it to get the pain to stop" however...

Abnormal pain...I don't know what is abnormal pain as every day I will have an "abnormal pain".  I go to a doctor and all they can do is shrug theyre shoulders and stuff me full of anti-inflammatories which is not good seeing as I am almost constantly inflamed somewhere in my body and too much of the stuff will kill me sooner than the pain.

It seems like most of the pains I have, the doctors either figure to be part of the condition and doesn't investigate it any further or can't find a cause to begin with.

So, "Abnormal pain", becomes "Normal pain"... pain that doesn't count as pain any more because I don't cause it and can't do much about it...that's the pain I ignore.  That is also the pains that mimics several other forms of complications.  Complications I can easily end up with and mistakenly write off as "Normal" pain...I have had several occasions where doctors would look at me and immediately start thinking of making arrangements for an appendicites or fearing that my aorta is dissecting or that I have a torn ligament, yet when they check my further, they find that I am in pain for a different reason.

So I have stopped going to a doctor...unless I am truely immobalised by pain.  Otherwise, I just feel like a hypochondriac :D.

[ChronicPain1]

Normal pain to me is pain that's acheiving a purpose, like touching a hot stove, or breaking your arm. Chronic pain can be normal if it's from a condition that's damaged your body, but sometimes pain continues with little to no cause, and that's not normal

[Tuckamore]

Hi,

Welcome to the Pain Management Forum. I am glad that you found us but sorry to hear about your confusion with pain.

Our body signals us when something is not right. That signal usually comes in the form of pain. It is never wise to ignore.

Because I went so long undiagnosised I had the same questions that you are expressing. I thought I could not trust my bodies "signal." I beleive this often this happens to chronic pain suffers when no apparent reason can be found for their pain and discomfort. We learn to deal and live with it until we reach the point that it is no longer manageable.

And you are correct that we can be successful in pushing that pain signal to the side and function fairly normally. What ever "normal" may be. We become astute in denial. However I beleive that in most cases there comes a time when that denial no longer works.

It is also true that everyone perceives pain differently, react differently and deal differently. Ppl have different thresholds. What may be a 9 pain level for one is a 4 pain level for another. I could go into theories and such but I'll sum it up with there are a multitude of reasons for our differences.

Last month I had a kidney stone that sent me to the hospital in writhing, horrible pain. I was diagnosed and chose to go home to wait for the surgical appointment. After several days I passed the impossible, almost a 7mm stone at home and with no severe pain. Why did I have a 10 level pain and than barely no pain? It has to due to a lot of medical factors but also due to the fact that we are all different.

I encourage you to listen to your body. It is talking to you. It is always better to have something checked out than to ignore it and it become serious.

What a great question. I hope you are feeling better. Take care and please keep in touch with us, Tuck

[wildwoodone]

I have found that with pain, normal is a dryer setting only!!  Old joke, I know, but everyone is different.

[Mollyrae]

Hello and welcome to the Pain Forum:

I don't think that any pain is normal no matter where it is. Deciding whether or not it is serious is up to you. You are the only one who really knows your body and the only one who can decide when to seek medical attention.

In regards to the kidney stone pain, they usually pass and can be uncomfortable in doing so. If it was not to pass, your body would have told you by being in so much pain that you had no doubt that it required medical attention. In my opinion your body was in the beginning of trying to pass the stone and you had mild pain. If you were to wait for a longer period of time, I feel that your body would have told you that it was time to seek medical attention by being in so much pain that you would not question yourself.

With my chronic pain, I generally know when something is different and when to seek out medical help.  Everyone is body is different and only you can be the judge of when something is not right with it and when to seek help. Does this make sense?

Please take care.
My best,
Mollyrae