How does your body deal with pain?

[Beth]

The tailbone thing has me wondering about whether I'm really weird. Do other people get a spacey, drained or light-headed feeling when something is injured and not right but not necessarily causing a great deal of pain?

I've noticed this with my neck before and today with the tailbone. I may not be aware of how something is quietly building or knawing at me -- I think it's a little thing, but then later I'll notice this weird feeling --somewhat similar to the feeling I've noticed after a more serious injury. It's like a trauma response, and it makes me spacey and drains me. My husband says it's because I have a high pain tolerance and don't feel the pain itself. I wonder if it is just because the trauma is deep inside -- maybe it's not like having a paper cut right near all those little nerve endings.

Does this sound quirky to you? How do you notice and deal with pain?

[Canice]

Two big caveats:
1. I've never experienced serious injury/trauma or severe physical pain
2. I am by nature WAAAY queasy when it comes to blood/guts/etc.

That said, I had a wicked incident with a chef's knife two weeks ago and nearly removed the end of my left index finger. I was home alone and it was poring down rain out, and there was a good deal of blood everywhere. But no pain.
At one point I started seeing bright lights and losing my peripheral vision, so I sat on the bed, head between my knees, breathing, breathing, breathing.

24 hours later I went to the "injury center" to see an RN. She admonished me for not having had the finger stitched when there was still time, and said my woozey reaction was entirely psychological and had nothing to do with the blood loss/injury.
So I guess my reaction is the inverse of yours: I get all your same symptoms when I'm FINE; my body is OK, but my brain says "I think I'm gonna barf..." so I feel whoozy even though I'm not in pain.

[Valerie226]

I think I know what you mean. my tailbone injury (on your other thread) was typical. It hurt, but a very deep "pounding" sort of sensation, not a sharp pointed pain, like a needle stick. I feel my breathing get funny,lightheaded & have sensation I am going to faint. sometimes I black out for a brief time. I always have enough time to get myself on the ground or the floor. after a few minutes I can get up but I am drifty & sort of confused feeling for a while. How long this lasts depends on how serious the blow was. My tailbone injury I was already on the snow & stayed there for at least several minutes until I felt I could sit up. We spent at least 20 minutes before I felt able to continue. I've had some severe knee trauma that caused the same sensation. I've even had it when I've hit my elbow very hard. Had it when a very heavy object dropped on my finger splitting it open. Sometimes I've felt nauseated but that passes as long as I stay head down. I think I've heard "vaso-vagal" to describe this. Maybe one of our medical professionals can explain this.

[wallycat]

So far, the only thing I notice is that I complain a lot :D :o
I think my actual pain threshold is high, but my need to communicate it..well...I guess I'm a whiney kid at heart :rolleyes:

[Kayaksoup]

I don't think your reaction is weird. 4 years ago, I was suffering from intense back pain. I left doors open and unlocked, I threw dishes in the garbage, put milk in the cupboard etc.
And 3 weeks ago, first day of school, something went in my shoulder as I was taking out the garbage. I had to breathe very carefully and hold onto something as I almost passed out. I think its only natural that when pain reaches a certain level, you start to fuzz out, I think of it as a nervous system overload?

[Beth]

I understand the body protecting itself when it reaches pain overload. What I find especially interesting is that it can happen even when you don't feel intense pain or may not even really notice pain. With my neck, I had to learn to read the headaches or fuzzy feelings to know that things were getting out of control before the pain would tell me and be that much harder to unwind.

[annagins]

Originally posted by Kayaksoup
I think its only natural that when pain reaches a certain level, you start to fuzz out, I think of it as a nervous system overload?

This is so true. I've had an ongoing problem with ear pain and have had to undergo a few rounds of intense surgery this year. During my less painful periods (before I started pain killers), I found myself extremely spaced out and did some crazy things -- tried to open a stop sign with my garage door opener, threw away an entire plate instead of just emptying food into the garbage can, opened up a bottle of Frank's Hot Sauce and started drinking it when I meant to reach for a bottle of Diet 7 up. So I totally believe having chronic pain can make you "fuzz out".

Another thing I found strange was the reaction I'd have to the less powerful pain relievers such as Advil. After a day of round the clock Tylenol, I would see weird shapes and apparitions when I closed my eyes.

[Beth]

:) I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who does silly things -- like start to put the milk in the pantry, make a cat food sandwich -- really can't remember them all. I know when I tend to forget things, stumble or bump into things, and steam my son's OJ instead of milk for my coffee that some limits are being exceeded. :o

[annagins]

Originally posted by Beth
:) I'm glad to know I'm not the only one who does silly things -- like start to put the milk in the pantry, make a cat food sandwich -- really can't remember them all. I know when I tend to forget things, stumble or bump into things, and steam my son's OJ instead of milk for my coffee that some limits are being exceeded. :o

Oh, I feel less silly now ;).

[Beth]

Well, since I forget things, I had to embellish a bit. I know I've started to put the milk in the pantry, but the OJ thing was only an almost and the cat food -- well, it was something equally silly if not. :D