In the holistic structure of the human psyche, with some degree of convention, we can distinguish individual mental processes. Their processes can be divided into three groups: cognitive, emotional, volitional. When individual properties of various phenomena and objects of the surrounding world influence the human sense organs, the simplest of cognitive processes– sensation. Depending on the analyzer that is exposed external environment, we can distinguish visual and auditory, olfactory and gustatory, tactile and temperature sensations. Sensations that reflect are of the following types:
Not every impact on human body causes a sensation, the stimulus must gain a certain strength. The minimum value of the stimulus that causes a certain sensation is called the lower absolute threshold of sensation. The smaller its value, the more sensitive the corresponding analyzer is. If the stimulus exceeds the upper absolute threshold, then it ceases to be perceived adequately, and a painful sensation may occur. For example, pain in the eyes from too bright light. Indicators of absolute thresholds of sensations for all people have individual differences. This is why people experience pain differently. High and low pain thresholds are not just subjective sensations different people. To obtain objective data regarding pain sensitivity, scientists invented the algesimeter device. This device affects particularly sensitive areas of the human body - the armpit area, the skin between the toes. The impact may be in the form of high temperature or electrical discharge. The body's response to the stimulus is recorded and the pain threshold is determined.
Pain receptors in different organs have different degrees of sensitivity. The surface of the skin, for example, has more low threshold sensitivity than internal organs. About a hundred pain points can be found on a square centimeter of the surface of human skin. And some internal organs are almost insensitive to destruction, i.e. they have a high pain threshold. The magnitude of the pain threshold is influenced by congenital factors - gender (women, as a rule, have a higher pain threshold) and genetic characteristics. Pain threshold individual person is not a constant and unchanging value, but varies somewhat, due to general condition body and psyche. It depends on immune status body, hormonal levels And emotional state person, the degree of stress exposure and adaptation to it. Thus, the set of activities that strengthens the body and supports the psyche in good condition, will also contribute to a slight increase in the threshold of pain sensitivity. Reasonable approach the body will provide nutrition essential vitamins and minerals. In addition, there are foods that help increase the production of serotonin (“the hormone of happiness”) - eggs and dairy products, sweet fruits. At a time when a person is busy with his favorite activity, as well as during physical activity the production of endorphins increases. Having the skill to manage emotions, you can try to drown out pain - fear will intensify painful sensations, and anger, a state of emotional arousal, on the contrary, dulls them.
Is a high pain threshold a benefit or not?
When a person feels very severe pain or has been suffering from it for a long time aching pain, then he dreams of ending these sensations. At such moments, a high pain threshold is perceived as a gift from nature. However, doctors know many stories when a high pain threshold does not give a person the opportunity to adequately assess the severity of their condition. Doctors advise people with a high pain threshold to severe weakness, high temperature do not pay attention to the absence of pain, but call an ambulance.
Of course, a low pain threshold causes a lot of unpleasant sensations, but to say that it would be better if we all had a very high pain threshold is unreasonable. After all, all painful sensations play the role of a kind of beacons, since they signal us either about the dysfunction of various systems, or that it is time to stop exposure to a certain irritant. Obviously, their role is protective; they promote self-preservation. High and low pain thresholds are given to us from birth, and yet a person can slightly increase his pain threshold if he leads healthy image life. Those who have a very high pain threshold, in turn, must learn to be attentive to the various signals of their body.
Even the word “pain” itself evokes negative emotions, and the feeling of pain generally darkens life. However, everyone experiences pain differently. Some endure it stoically, spilling hot tea on their hand, while others groan (and this is not necessarily a girl) from a simple splinter. What is the reason? Of course, a lot depends on character and fortitude. But perception and tolerance pain- purely individual characteristics. Everyone's tolerance for pain is programmed into their genes. How to increase it and what does it depend on? Let's figure it out.
The ancient Greeks called pain " watchdog body,” barks and warns that not everything is in order, sometimes shows where it hurts, but cannot tell why and why. And we still trust him. Instead of regular examination We are waiting for a pain signal from the body to go to a doctor for consultation. Doctors, in turn, call pain “a gift from nature that helps us survive.” Although modern medicine I learned to notice the problems of our body much earlier than the “watchman” announced them. But it’s better if he has as few reasons as possible to wake up. In the meantime, no matter what anyone says about pain, this does not stop scientists from continuing to study it and try to find a universal painkiller.
PRINCESSES AND SOLDIERS
Helps determine pain threshold special device algesimeter. The study is carried out on the most delicate area of the skin - between the toes or hands. The device gradually increases the current or heats it up until the subject feels pain. Still very mild pain. On the verge of feelings. This will be the “pain threshold”. Based on the readings of the device, scientists divided people into four main types.
Type one "Princess and the Pea". This is the lowest threshold and lowest pain tolerance interval. Representatives of this type acutely perceive pain - both physical and mental. They are unable to tolerate it by nature. These are vulnerable and impressionable natures, prone to melancholy and loneliness. Treatment room for them it is tantamount to a torture chamber. And calls to pull yourself together are meaningless - it’s hard to argue with physiology!
BY THE WAY. People of this type should protect themselves from injury and be very attentive to painful medical procedures. If necessary, the doctor must take enhanced measures against pain. For example, placing a filling is only allowed under local anesthesia, and to remove the tooth - under anesthesia. Ingrown toenail, appendicitis, childbirth - any procedure requires careful pain relief. Otherwise, there is a chance of a serious complication - painful shock.
Type two "The Little Mermaid". This type corresponds to a low threshold of sensitivity, but at the same time a high range of pain tolerance (the ability to endure pain for a long time), allowing one to courageously endure suffering. Remember: the underwater witch, who turned a mermaid's tail into a pair of legs, predicted that every step of the girl would be like a blow from a dagger? However, the Little Mermaid did not show that she was in pain. However, if you are one of the this type, you shouldn’t blame fate: as a reward for your torment, she endowed you with the ability to experience deep feelings, the gift of devotion and the talent of empathy, in a word, she did everything to make you feel the fullness of life every minute.
BY THE WAY. If you are the Little Mermaid, you can prepare yourself psychologically to endure any discomfort. So, for example, when going to donate blood, imagine the pain, say, in the form of a large hot air balloon from which air comes out. And when only the deflated shell remains, you can mentally burn it or simply throw it away.
Type three "Sleeping Beauty". A high pain tolerance threshold allows such people not to notice mild pain. From the outside, a person may look insensitive; his nerve endings almost do not react to injections, blows, cuts and other influences. But he also has no reserve of patience. As soon as the pain becomes a little stronger, an immediate violent reaction will follow. The external calm of such a person hides great tension inner life manifested by outbursts of strong emotions.
BY THE WAY. You need help during painful medical procedures sedatives And psychological support loved ones is a sure guarantee that you will endure the procedure.
Type four "The Steadfast Tin Soldier". This is a real iron man. A high threshold and interval of pain tolerance allow such people to ignore pain and easily endure physical suffering. Removing a tooth or undergoing surgery is no problem for them. The injections are weaker mosquito bite, and more serious damage he either does not notice or is able to tolerate it for a long time. Such low sensitivity of nerve endings is characteristic of leaders and those who are very self-confident, successful people. But they don’t always make good doctors. To respond to someone else’s suffering, you need to experience a similar feeling yourself, but they don’t have such an opportunity.
BY THE WAY. On medical manipulations Such people walk without fear, even with some kind of challenge! They do not like to complain; sympathy, on the contrary, can irritate them, therefore the support of loved ones is important to them more as a confirmation that they are loved, and not as an urgent need.
FEAR HAS BIG EYES
Of course, it is unlikely that anyone will test themselves for strength with an algesimeter to determine which type they belong to. Therefore, everyone will have to judge whether they belong to one type or another only by their own experience. Visiting experience dental clinic, experience of cuts, bumps and abrasions, experience of fights, etc. With a high degree of probability, you will accurately determine your type. And this will help the doctor select a suitable analgesic and a sufficient dose for pain. The pain threshold level is as important as blood type, weight, height and other indicators. Interestingly, this level is not the same throughout life. It may fluctuate depending on social conditions, physical and psychological well-being and much more. So, for example, during a period of strong nervous tension the pain threshold decreases, and we may burst into tears over a trifling fall on the street, although in a normal situation we would not even pay much attention to it. And vice versa - you can consciously increase your pain threshold through systematic physical training, willpower, and cultivating endurance. Many military personnel and athletes specifically learn to overcome pain, and it gradually becomes less noticeable. An example of such conscious education of an extremely high pain threshold is demonstrated by yogis who walk barefoot on burning coals or broken glass without visible damage.
By the way, the age most sensitive to pain, as scientists have discovered, is from 10 to 30 years. Older people and children feel pain much less, but it is more difficult for them to endure it. At the same time, it is a myth that children have a higher pain threshold at the physiological level. In fact, they simply have less life experience, hence fewer psychological attitudes that make them worry, and therefore increase the sensitivity of the body.
CULTIVATE FLINT IN YOURSELF
Special zones of nerve endings - nociceptors - react to painful sensations. They are located throughout the body: on the skin, mucous membranes and throughout the entire area internal organs. How well these cells function determines an individual's pain threshold. If nociceptors are constantly impacted with the same or increasing force, this will significantly reduce susceptibility to pain. We will try too, but we will postpone the experience of yogis for next time. To make it easier for the body to cope with pain, you can go the other way and increase the hormones of happiness - endorphin and serotonin.
Red pepper, wasabi, garlic. These burning foods contain capsaicin - irritant. The body perceives a burned tongue as pain and defends itself by producing endorphin.
Anger- a means of mobilizing the body’s forces, which nature came up with for us. It is this effect that helps animals survive in a fight, and fighters survive in the ring. You yourself may have noticed that during, say, a headache, you want to quarrel with someone - this is how your nature tries to relieve unpleasant sensations. However, this method is good for one-time mobilization, and constant outbursts of anger will lead to a weakening of the body and, accordingly, a decrease in the pain threshold.
Sex. Researchers in Germany report that more than half of people who have sex regularly, even when they have a headache, experience less migraine symptoms. Every fifth headache eventually it goes away, and some even use sex as a pain reliever. According to experts, the analgesic effect of sex may be associated with the release of endorphins - endogenous opiates, they provide a feeling of pleasure, but also have an anesthetic effect. They can be called natural painkillers, the level of which increases during sex and which dulls physical pain.
BOTH FRIEND AND ENEMY
Unfortunately, there are no universal recipes suitable for everyone to increase the threshold of pain sensitivity. And they are not required. Pain is a means of protecting the body, and increasing the pain threshold is not always good. It is known, for example, that people with severe mental disorders(schizophrenia or manic-depressive syndrome). In addition, a person who is practically not vulnerable to pain may overlook dangerous conditions, For example, acute appendicitis, cholecystitis, heart attack or stroke, the main symptom of which is precisely pain syndrome. Therefore, pain is not an enemy at all, but rather an ally, warning of the need to urgently consult a doctor.
This is interesting
IN Medical center Stanford University conducted an experiment on the dependence of the pain threshold on feelings. The subjects were induced to experience pain using a thermostimulator that gradually warmed up. At the same time, they asked to remember various pleasant moments from their life, and also showed photographs of their loved ones and recorded brain activity. It turned out that when a person is in love, the pleasure center in the brain is activated, which blocks pain at the level spinal cord. The pain is felt much less, and sometimes disappears completely. Falling in love is an excellent weapon in the fight against any kind of suffering.
Pain threshold
Pain threshold is the level of irritation caused nervous system in which a person feels pain. The pain threshold is individual for everyone; the same level of irritation can be expressed in both minor and severe pain for different people. If, with minimal impact, a person is already in pain, then he has a low pain threshold, but if the impact that causes pain must be strong enough, then the pain threshold is high. A person’s pain threshold may decrease due to general fatigue and lack of B vitamins.
In psychophysics, the pain threshold is taken to be the minimum power of a stimulus that causes pain in 50% of presentations.
However, it should be borne in mind that repeated stimulation leads to a change in the pain threshold, in addition physical units, characterizing irritation, strictly speaking, are not adequate for measuring subjective pain sensations.
The concept of the level (threshold) of pain tolerance is defined as the greatest intensity of pain that the subject is willing to endure under given specific conditions.
Neither the pain threshold nor the level of pain tolerance can be determined by parameters external influences that cause pain. However, practically it is in these parameters that they are determined.
In addition, differences in pain thresholds are due to the characteristics of the current pathological process. Pain sensitivity is the most important parameter, which determines the basic personality properties and psychosomatic relationships of a person, serves as an informative indicator of the adequacy and effectiveness of his biological and social adaptation, health conditions and illnesses. For example, a study of individuals who have attempted suicide has shown that they have an increased level of pain tolerance.
Pain sensitivity is closely related to individual psychological characteristics each person as an individual.
Stenic emotions associated with aggressive motivation are accompanied by an increase in the pain threshold. Asthenic emotions (fear, defenselessness), accompanying the strategy of passive adaptation and cessation of current activities, develop against the background of a decrease in the pain threshold.
Depending on the characteristics of pain perception, nature has divided people into 4 so-called nociceptive, or pain types. A special pain meter, an algesimeter, helps doctors find out which of them a person belongs to.
It is interesting to note that research has shown that the pain threshold of men is higher than women, in addition, the pain tolerance threshold is also much higher in men.
Links
- // Encyclopedic Dictionary of Brockhaus and Efron: In 86 volumes (82 volumes and 4 additional ones). - St. Petersburg. , 1890-1907.
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See what “Pain threshold” is in other dictionaries:
pain threshold
PAIN THRESHOLD- The minimum intensity of the stimulus perceived as painful. While this threshold appears to be biologically determined, individual pain tolerance contains a strong psychological component … Dictionary in psychology
Pain threshold- the minimum intensity of the stimulus, subjectively perceived as pain. The pain threshold index is believed to be genetically determined. Individual sensitivity to pain is modified by various psychological factors(emotional... encyclopedic Dictionary in psychology and pedagogy
pain threshold- rus pain threshold (m), threshold (m) of pain sensitivity; threshold (m) of pain eng pain threshold, pain sensitivity threshold, threshold of pain fra seuil (m) de douleur, seuil (m) de malaise, seuil (m) de sensation de douleur, seuil (m)… … Occupational safety and health. Translation into English, French, German, Spanish
pain threshold- rus pain threshold (m), threshold (m) of pain sensitivity; threshold (m) of pain eng pain threshold, pain sensitivity threshold, threshold of pain fra seuil (m) de douleur, seuil (m) de malaise, seuil (m) de sensation de douleur, seuil (m)… … Occupational safety and health. Translation into English, French, German, Spanish
hearing threshold- the minimum sound intensity with which hearing aid the person begins to perceive the sound signal. The threshold of audibility for a person does not remain constant with changes in frequency sensitivity human ear strongly depends on... Russian index k English-Russian dictionary in musical terminology
pain threshold- the limiting value of sensation, reaching and exceeding which causes pain, regardless of the modality of sensation. They differ: 1) the pain threshold is the lower value of irritation at the first appearance of pain; 2) upper pain threshold... ...
terminal threshold- the stimulus reaches such a magnitude that the sensation usually associated with such a stimulus disappears or changes to another modality. For example, with very high light brightness, the sensation becomes painful. Dictionary of practical... ... Great psychological encyclopedia
THRESHOLD- level, the excess of which causes relatively sudden change properties or nature of a phenomenon, as well as functions in a certain relatively narrow area of conditions or coordinates. P. are distinguished: 1) painful maximum permissible sound pressure ... Big Polytechnic Encyclopedia
pain limit of audibility- skausminis girdos slenkstis statusas T sritis fizika atitikmenys: engl. pain threshold of hearing; upper threshold of hearing vok. obere Hörschwelle, f; Schmerzschwelle, f rus. pain limit of audibility, m; pain threshold, m pranc. seuil … Fizikos terminų žodynas
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- The magic of immortality. Dissolution of the world, Burislav Servest. Remember the usual state - there are always some problems that concern us. For some it is relationships with loved ones, for others it is a lack of money, the manifestation of visible signs...
A high pain threshold is the dream of every hand-to-hand fighter, because, as you know, it is impossible to learn to fight without getting hit. An increased pain threshold will allow you to endure this “surrender” much less sensitively. We present to your attention 7 exercises to increase the pain threshold. They will also give you better pain control. All suggested exercises are performed with a partner. Although you need a partner to do the exercises, most exercises are easy enough that you can improve your pain threshold at home.
1. MILITARY MASSAGE
Your partner creates dosed pain sensations for you by pinching and squeezing the pain zones of the trapezius muscle, the muscles of the front surface of the neck, and pain points in the ribs. The exercise is performed until the pain is tolerable for 10 minutes.
Remember: doing the exercise for less than three minutes will not lead to zero results! During execution, you should not strain, squeeze, or hold your breath. You should stand or sit calmly and relaxed. If pain increases, breathe deeper and increase the time of exhalation and inhalation. By the way, these recommendations are universal and also work for the rest of the exercises proposed here.
Military massage helps you get used to the pain and reduce the intensity.
2. SLAPING
The partners, standing opposite each other, take turns slapping each other in the face with relaxed palms. Don't forget that the palm strike is extremely powerful! Therefore, this exercise should be performed carefully. Slaps are applied only to the cheeks; blows to the ears, jaw, eyes, nose and lips are unacceptable. Increase the strength of the blows gradually, and constantly control your mental condition. To normalize emotions, after each slap you receive, exhale slowly and relax.
The pain can reach critical levels or even higher. The slap should be loud! A muffled sound is a consequence of a deep error, which indicates that you are hitting your palm with the heel. And this is the place where strong blows are delivered, and the craftsmen break tiles, boards and other hard objects with the heel of their palm. So the right slaps should have a characteristic ringing sound.
Work in this way for at least a minute, and the exercise will bring many benefits.
3. PLAYING ON ONE STRING
Your partner should take you by the shoulder and place his fingers on the inside of your elbow. Holding his fingers firmly between the biceps and triceps to the bone, the partner runs along it with an effort towards himself, feeling a thin, tense “string”. You will feel a sharp and severe pain from your elbow to your little finger. The exercise time is at least three minutes, and all this time you must endure rolling along the “string”. Effect: adaptation to influences directly on the nerve trunk.
4. BULLDOG GRIP
You hold a hold or submission while your opponent throws quick strikes to your pain points. The extremely important skill of the bulldog grip is developed, that is, maintaining a grip, despite the active opposition of the enemy. In addition, the skill of working on pain points is developed.
Start influencing the point of the hand between the thumb and index finger, closer to metacarpal bone index finger. Then go to inner side wrists; bones back side palms, point on the inside radius, a couple of fingers above the elbow. After a few blows, you will feel the pain increasing, and at the same time your grip will weaken. You need to force yourself to hold the grip tightly by willpower. Tense yourself, clench your teeth, and keep your breathing deep and even - this will help you concentrate.
5. SCREAM
Emotional release will help you maximize your potential. Shout with your partner at each other.
6. BEATING
The basis of the exercise is blows of measured force over almost the entire body. You cannot hit the head, neck and groin, as well as the throat. Along the spine, the left side of the chest. The main task of the person being beaten is to stand, maintaining uniform breathing and without faltering. Almost everyone can take a blow to the torso while exhaling, but few can withstand a blow while inhaling. To do this, as you inhale, tense your torso muscles, forming the so-called chain mail. It is best if the person being beaten closes his eyes - this will eliminate spontaneous preparation for strikes, which is not necessary during execution. In addition to the torso, penetrate the arms, thighs and shins. Execution time: about 3 minutes.
7. INTERFERENCE
The fighters are surrounded by comrades and engage in pair sparring. The circle tries in every possible way to prevent them, without getting directly involved in the fight: it pinches, pushes, pokes and strikes with a relaxed palm. The exercise helps you get used to pain and control pain in combat conditions.
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