Pain Vs. Discomfort: How to know the difference and how to know when it's time to back off
Photo by Alexander Krivitskiy on Unsplash
Right from the start I want to say that this post is about pain vs discomfort when working through something acutely or working out physically. It does not discuss or go into the nuances of chronic pain. That is a whole other issue.
No pain no gain? Pain is temporary, internet fame is forever? Pain is weakness leaving the body? Not exactly. Actually, no, not true at all.
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about pain. I think about why some people feel it tremendously on seemingly small bumps and others hardly notice. I have lived with chronic pain for most of my adult life and some injuries don’t bother me as much as others. Why? I don’t have that answer yet. I do know that most people have experienced pain to some degree be it physical/emotional/spiritual or all of the above.
In a clinical setting pain is difficult to assess because it is highly subjective. When a client reports pain in the office I will ask, “on a scale of 0 to 10 where would your rate your pain today? 0 is no pain, 10 is the most excruciating suffering imaginable.” What does this even really mean? I’ll be honest, I’m not entirely sure. What I am sure of is that we all experience pain and pain makes us afraid. There are so many factors that play into someone’s pain: did they get enough sleep, have they eaten recently, are they consuming lots of sugar/caffeine or alcohol, are they generally happy, do they practice gratitude, have they had a good day/week/month, are their basic needs met, are their hormones balanced well, do they have other underlying conditions,…on and on. Everything impacts a person’s experience of pain. However, sometimes people are experiencing discomfort which makes them feel similarly to pain. However, pain is not the same as discomfort. Both can be physical, emotional, spiritual, in business, relationships, etc. Both feel similar to the other. It can be difficult to discern the difference.
In discomfort you push yourself a little bit to gain a big change. This goes for metaphoric/energetic pushes as well as physical. Discomfort is where you say, “I don’t know if I can do this, it makes me nervous or I’ve never done this before.” Or maybe there are some uncomfortable feelings like burning or struggle. It’s where you are listening to your body, honoring its actual limits while asking for a bit more from it. Discomfort is not painful, it’s uncomfortable and may make you squirm a little. It’s ok, go slow. Discomfort fluctuates in intensity, usually more of a background feeling. Discomfort lingers, aches, is annoying. Improves with pushing through. The feelings resolve when you’re finished. Within discomfort/uncertainty (metaphoric and actual) is the growth happens. It is here you will find the gains and the strength.
On the other hand, pain is a signal from your nervous system alerting you that something is wrong. It could be an injury or illness or other assault to the system. Pain should not be pushed through or ignored. Doing this will only lead to further tissue damage, mixed signals in the nervous system and a psychological message that your body is not to be trusted. Pain in relation to injury is often accompanied with swelling, redness, acute signs of injury. Pain worsens the more you push through. It is sharp, stabbing, shooting, intense. Pain means to back off and regroup, it’s time to take a break.
How to tell whether you’re experiencing pain or discomfort? At first, the two may feel similar. When you first feel pain or discomfort take a deep breath in and out. Then, ask yourself the following questions:
Am I in danger?
Am I injured?
Is my form on point? (exercise/movement related pain)
Is there an adjustment I can make to ease this sensation but still work the area?
Am I afraid? If so, what am I afraid of?
If I wasn’t afraid, would I still feel this uncomfortable?
If I continue to push through, will I injure myself?
Answering these honestly will help you discern if you are in pain or uncomfortable.
Again, please note this post is about only pain vs discomfort when working through something acutely or working out physically. It does not discuss or go into the nuances of chronic pain. That is a whole other issue.