OTC pain management: The importance of understanding pain

Abstract

Pain is one of the most common conditions for which patients seek medical advice. Each person experiences pain in a highly individual manner. How pain is tolerated is as unique as the individual. For example, pain from bruises or even from small cuts may have little or no effect on some people, while others may not be able to tolerate it. Factors such as personality, mood, thoughts, emotions and circumstances play an important role in how a person perceives pain as well as a person’s ability to tolerate pain.