Chronic Pain Variables

Individual factors influence experiences with pain.
The Los Angeles Times (7/5, Hansen) reported, "Unlike blood pressure or temperature or other symptoms easily measured and defined, the physical reaction to unpleasant stimuli is hard to quantify or predict. It varies from person to person, with each individual describing pain -- and its intensity -- differently." Research published earlier this year "found that people who had a normal variation in" a certain "gene also had higher pain thresholds," and "for those with the variation in both of their copies of the gene, thresholds were even higher."
Millions suffer from chronic pain. Karen Ravn wrote in the Los Angeles Times (7/5) that "with chronic pain...the underlying problem that started it has usually (though not always) been fixed and yet the patient is still hurting." Ravn added, "No one knows a sure-fire way to avoid chronic pain. Still, you can improve your chances by avoiding the temptation to simply tough it out when you get injured."
Studies suggest movement therapies may help reduce chronic pain. The Los Angeles Times (7/5, Stein) reported, "Movement-based therapies such as yoga, tai chi, qigong, and more mainstream forms of exercise are gaining acceptance in the world of chronic pain management." In fact, "many pain clinics and integrative medicine centers now offer movement-based therapy for pain caused by cancer and cancer treatments, rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, and other diseases and conditions." And, "several small studies in peer-reviewed journals attest to the effectiveness of these therapies."