Research Paper on:
Pain Paradox Explained

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
doing. When we touch a hot plate or stove we pull away because of the pain. When something hurts we stop doing it in order to prevent further injury to  ourselves. In essence it is one of the protection devices of the body. But, at the same time there are millions of people who suffer from chronic pain that cannot  be eliminated through the cessation of an activity. In such situations we find ourselves looking at the paradox of pain. Pain, something which is supposed to protect us and cease  when we end an activity or action, continues, warning of nothing, stopping at nothing, and essentially appearing as though it has no purpose. In the following paper we examine in  more depth the existence of pain and discuss what the paradox of pain is all about. The Paradox of Pain As mentioned, "Pain is your bodys alarm system  that tells you something is wrong. When your body is injured, nerves in the affected area release chemical signals. Other nerves send these signals to your brain, where they are  recognized as pain" (Arthritis Foundation, 2003). It informs you that you need to act, often immediately. Another author indicates that "Pain may be a warning of damage or injury  to our body. When it is prolonged it is forcing us to rest and heal" (Moorland Dentistry, 2003). However, " The severity of the pain...depends on how our minds read  this damage. Some pain, like migraines are awful, yet no damage is done to the brain" (Moorland Dentistry, 2003). And, still there are those conditions which do us harm that  go unnoticed due to the fact that no pain is present, conditions such as high blood pressure. "It is our brain/mind which decides whether to alert us about damage to