Pain Management and Pain

¶ … Pain and Suffering Pain is an abstract and complex topic, which is influenced by a serious of psychological and environmental variables. We all have experienced pain although at varying intensities. Since the psychological factors play a great role in influencing how we perceive pain, therefore, it renders pain a highly subjective experience. Researchers have tried to differentiate between physical and mental pain (Campbell & Edwards 2012). In this essay, I describe physical pain from mental pain. I also show how various people respond to pain, contrast two different responses to pain.

I also highlight how Asian culture compares with Hispanic culture in responding to pain. Describe physical pain from mental or soul pain. The two major types of pain can be classified as physical and mental. Since physical and mental pains are subjective, complex phenomenon, defining them seems to be a challenge. The International Association for the Study of Pain offers the most widely used definition of both physical and mental pain. Physical pain is an unpleasant sensory experience related to potential or actual tissue damage.

Normally, physical pain is associated with injuries to the body parts. On the other hand, mental pain is described as an unpleasant feeling of a non-physical origin. Many people refer to it as soul pain or mental suffering (Campbell & Edwards 2012). This kind of pain is considered as abstract and is felt from numerous experiences like being socially rejected or losing a loved one. Clearly, mental pain is deep felt and long lasting unlike physical pain.

Although the two types of pain are not similar, it can be concluded that both describe the same profoundly unpleasant feeling (Edwards et al., 2005). How various people respond to pain, contrast two different responses to pain. Studies have found that pain is a highly complex phenomenon that entails various social, psychological and biological variables (Edwards et al., 2005). People's response to pain is culturally biased and classified into two groups: emotive and stoic. Stoic people are less expressive of their pain and only grin and bear it.

When experiencing pain, these people will respond by withdrawing socially. Emotive people tend to verbalize their pain. They respond by drawing others near them and expecting them to feel their pain to validate the discomfort (Campbell & Edwards 2012). For instance, the tolerance and sensitivity people show towards pain differs predictably based on gender. Feminine bravery is often seen during prolonged labor. Conversely, men hold a reputation for physical risk taking and a warrior. These examples point overwhelmingly towards one direction.

Regardless of the situation, men are less sensitive to and have a greater tolerance of pain, unlike women (Edwards et al., 2005). How to respond to pain people from Asian culture compare with Hispanic culture How the Asians and the Hispanics respond to pain differs sharply. The attitudes and beliefs of the Hispanics seem to collide with those of the Asians. The Hispanics believe that a reaction to pain is normal and anything different is abnormal. They have a long tradition of emotism and people are applauded for crying aloud.

In general, people make a great fuss over any kind of pain. In contrast, there are cultures where expressing pain is discouraged and seen as a sign of misbehavior. Asians exemplify stoicism when experiencing pain. To them, this reflects strong cultural values regarding self-conduct (Campbell & Edwards 2012). People are expected to behave in a certain manner, and an individual who complains.