Alternative Methods of Pain Relief :: Biology Essays Research Papers

Oww &%$%Pathways of Pain and Alternative Methods of Pain balance Have you ever wondered why when you stub your toe on the control in the living room, it helps tremendously to yell out an expletive or two and vigorously rub the area? I may non be able to discuss the basis for much(prenominal)(prenominal) language in this paper, but we will explore the analgesic response to rubbing that toe, in addition to the mechanism of torment and alternative treatments such as acupuncture and transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.In the two previous papers for this class I have chosen to focus upon the inherent ability of the brain in relation to healing. Studies of the placebo effect and psychoneuroimmunology have helped us defecate insight into the vile systems relationship with the immune system, the endocrine system, and others. Alternative therapies such as hypnosis, relaxation/ meditation, and humor have been discussed in association with this relationship. I feel that my exp loration of the brain and alternative healing would non be complete without an investigation of the processing of pain and the role of acupuncture and particle in pain relief.What exactly is pain? According to Websters dictionary, pain is strong-arm suffering typically from dent or illness a good-for-naught sensation in a part of the body severe rational or emotional distress. Most everyone reading this paper has go through some form of physical pain at some efflorescence during their lives most everyone has even experienced the common daily pains such as stubbing our toe as we walk through the living room, by the way biting our tongue as we chew, and having the afternoon headache after a long day of work. No matter the fact that it is unpleasant, pain has a very important role in telling the body that something is not right and leading to behavior that will remove the body from a source of potential injury. Imagine if we could not experience pain. We would not be able to ch ange our behavior in any way when hint the burning hot dish in the oven, resulting in potentially unsafe burns. We could not recognize that perhaps we twisted an ankle when walking down feather the stairs, thus continued walking on that foot would exacerbate the injury to the point of not being able to walk at all. Indeed, pain is not pleasant, but in many cases it is an important way for our nervous system to learn from and react to the environment.