In pain sensitivity (also known as sensitivity or sensation disorder), the affected person suffers from a disturbance in the perception of sensory stimuli. In most cases, the altered sensitivity to pain is due to another disease or a neurological cause. Sensitivity or pain sensitivity may manifest itself in that the patient does not feel pain or sensory stimuli at all or perceives stimuli as stronger than usual.
What is pain sensitivity?
In pain sensitivity (also known as sensitivity or sensation disorder), the affected person suffers from a disturbance in the perception of sensory stimuli. The sensation of pain is expressed differently in all people. Some people, however, perceive pain differently – stronger or weaker – than is generally the case. Those affected suffer from pain sensitivity. Pain sensitivity is divided into different categories according to its severity. Thus, analgesia expresses a complete insensitivity to pain; in the presence of hyperalgesia, the sensation of pain is significantly reduced. In allodynia, the patient perceives pain triggered by a stimulus that does not cause pain in other people. In hyperalgesia, even very small stimuli cause extreme pain. The altered perception of pain is not a disease in the true sense of the word, but is usually observed as an accompanying symptom of other diseases. Men and women are equally affected, and very rarely children are also completely insensitive to pain (analgesia).
Causes
The causes of impaired pain sensitivity are usually to be found in other diseases. People with autism, for example, often suffer from a distorted perception of pain. Thus, touch can cause pain, or so can sounds or smells. Patients suffering from borderline disorder – borderline disorder is a severe mental illness – often have a disturbed perception of pain. Typical in connection with this disorder is the self-infliction of extremely painful injuries in order to be able to feel tactile pain at all (scratching the skin with razor blades). Organic causes are rare, but can also be considered as a cause. For example, there may be disturbances in the transmission of stimuli between individual nerves. This occurs when nerves are irreparably severed due to an accident or surgery. Injury or damage to the brain can also result in a change in the sensation of pain.
Diseases with this symptom
- Perineal laceration
- Fibromyalgia
- Autism
- Sudeck’s disease
- Borderline Syndrome
- Prostatitis
Diagnosis and course
Making a diagnosis is difficult even for experienced medical professionals. Unless the causes of altered perception of pain are obvious – for example, due to injury – the medical professional can only infer altered sensitivity to pain by questioning the patient. Some tests – such as the infliction of physical pain stimuli that trigger a corresponding perception in other patients – are possible and allow conclusions to be drawn about the presence of hyperalgesia or analgesia. The intentional infliction of physical pain is not without controversy. A change in the sensation of pain usually proceeds slowly for the affected person and increases continuously. Often, a patient does not notice his or her condition until relatively severe injuries do not cause pain.
Complications
Pain sensitivity usually does not necessarily lead to complications or to other difficulties. However, it can greatly affect and limit a patient’s daily life. Often, ordinary activities are no longer possible, nor can work be pursued in many cases. Pain sensitivity therefore has a negative impact on quality of life and can also lead to social problems. Because of this, depression or other psychological problems can occur. In this case, the affected person should consult a psychologist. The treatment itself can also be carried out by a psychologist, as it usually has psychological causes. However, it is not possible to predict whether it will lead to success, since the reasons for pain sensitivity are very different.If the pain sensitivity is a medical condition, it can often be easily treated. For example, pain-sensitive teeth can be relieved by removing the root of the tooth. The treatment itself proceeds without complications and does not lead to further difficulties. However, it is relatively difficult for doctors to determine pain sensitivity, as it depends mainly on the personal condition of the patient.
When should one go to the doctor?
As a rule, a doctor should always be consulted in case of pain sensitivity. This is a sign that there is an infection, inflammation or fatigue in a certain area, which should definitely be examined. Especially in the mouth and on the teeth, the pain sensitivity can be very unpleasant and lead to restricting food intake. In this case, a dentist can be consulted. If the pain sensitivity is only temporary or occurs after certain activities, a doctor does not necessarily have to be consulted. In this case, the patient must also decide for himself whether the pain is particularly distressing or only lasts for a short time. However, it is not advisable to put additional strain on the pain-sensitive areas. These should be spared. If the pain is localized precisely, the specialist can also be consulted directly, as he or she can carry out targeted treatment. However, if the affected person is unsure what the cause of the pain is, the family doctor usually also helps.
Treatment and therapy
An altered pain sensation itself can only be treated to a limited extent. The therapy to which the patient is advised depends on the particular cause. Many patients can be helped with psychological support. Here, an attempt is made to support the patient in dealing with his or her altered sensitivity to pain. Together with the patient, an attempt is made to define situations in which the altered pain sensation occurs particularly frequently or is particularly unpleasant. Once the situations have been identified, strategies can be developed to make the pain sensation bearable. If there are organic causes – such as an injury to the nerves – the damage is usually irreparable. It is sometimes reported that the sensation of pain in regions of the body where nerves have been severed as a result of surgery returns later (e.g., in the lower abdomen after a cesarean section).
Outlook and prognosis
It is relatively difficult to diagnose pain sensitivity because the doctor cannot feel or measure it. Relatively often, pain sensitivity occurs because of psychological stimuli. In these cases, a psychologist must counsel the patient and find the cause of the pain. Therapy usually proceeds relatively slowly and requires a lot of time until the patient’s pain sensation returns to normal. However, whether the therapy is successful or not depends greatly on the patient’s sensitivity to pain. Pain sensitivity can also occur in certain regions of the body that react particularly strongly to stimuli, such as the teeth. In these cases, treatment by a physician is necessary. Pain sensitivity can severely restrict a patient’s everyday life and reduce the quality of life. Certain activities are then no longer possible without restrictions, which sometimes leads to depression or other psychological problems. In many cases, pain sensitivity can be relatively well limited. Painkillers should be avoided in the long term, as they damage the stomach. Unfortunately, in some cases nerves are irreparably damaged, so that the pain sensitivity can hardly be treated.
Prevention
It is not possible to prevent a change in the sensation of pain. Certain clinical pictures bring about a change in the sensation of pain in their specific course. Thus, a borderline patient can already be accompanied accordingly during his therapy. People who suffer from a complete insensitivity to pain can learn to avoid injuries or to have even those injuries treated that do not trigger a pain stimulus in them.
Here’s what you can do yourself
Pain sensitivity can only be treated at home to a limited extent.In some cases, this occurs for psychological reasons and should therefore also be examined and treated by a psychologist. If the pain sensitivity occurs on the teeth, oral hygiene should be improved. This includes brushing the teeth daily, flossing and using a mouthwash. A consultation with the dentist is also advisable in this case. If pain sensitivity occurs in or on other parts of the body, the corresponding areas should not be subjected to heavy stress in order to reduce the pain sensitivity. Sports activities or heavy physical exertion should be avoided in this case. On occasion, the occurrence of the pain can be controlled by painkillers. However, painkillers should not be taken in the long run. The affected areas can also be cooled with the help of home remedies such as curd compresses to bring about relief from the pain. Herbs and herbal teas also help to numb the pain and soothe the area that is sensitive to pain. Other alternative methods to relieve a pain sensitivity include massage, meditation or hypnosis. If there is no improvement, a doctor must be consulted, as there may be a more serious condition causing the pain.
