Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli, such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting alcohol on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone". Because it is a complex, subjective phenomenon, defining pain has been a challenge. The International Association for the Study of Pain's widely used definition states: "Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage, or described in terms of such damage." In medical diagnosis, pain is a symptom.
Pain is a distressing feeling often caused by intense or damaging stimuli , such as stubbing a toe , burning a finger , putting alcohol on a cut , and bumping the " funny bone " . Because it is a complex , subjective phenomenon , defining pain has been a challenge . The International Association for the Study of Pain 's widely used definition states : " Pain is an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage , or described in terms of such damage . " In medical diagnosis , pain is a symptom .
Why has defining pain been a challenge?
Why has defining pain been a challenge ?
complex, subjective phenomenon
complex, subjective phenomenon