Do you have trouble describing the type of pain you are having?

Hi, !

I think this is a great question! I think many of our members can explain their RA pain, but it's not always easy for them to explain the pain in a way that people without RA can fully grasp. Does that make sense? Even doctors seem to struggle to understand when a person with RA says, "My joints feel like they're on fire" or "My chest hurts but it's not a heart attack".

Are you having trouble putting your pain experiences into words that others can understand? You're not alone!

I thought you might find this piece on how one of our contribtuors describes her pain interesting -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/explain-pain-symptoms. I thought you might also finr this piece interesting -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/pain-descriptions. And, at the risk of inundating you with pain related links, I wanted to provide just one more -- https://rheumatoidarthritis.net/living/ra-pain-management-tips. The last link is a bit more about managing RA related pain, but there are many, many member comments following the piece and I thought you might find other folks in those comments that struggle to put their pain into words.

Again, I doubt you have trouble describing your pain (although I could be wrong). I think it's more trying to describe the indescribable to others. After all, how do you explain colors to someone who has never seen them? How do you describe spices to someone who has never tasted them? Similarly, it's just darned hard to describe pain to folks who may not have had to deal with that specific pain.

I hope this helps!

Best, Erin, Team Member.

This "describe pain" has come to my attention because it's far to general a term but even Drs use it and define it by their own terms. My Rheumie leans toward "hot joint" type of pain. My neurologist knows only nerve "stabbing" type pain. But both will ask only "are you in pain?" When I took my mother to the emergency room with heart problems they kept asking her if she was in pain. She kept saying "no" until with a little leading I got her to say "but I do feel pressure." The nurse said yes they consider that pain.
Most people will have a headache in their lifetimes. A good question to ask is "does it feel like someone hit you with a pipe"? or, "does it feel like you're hat is on too tight"? But medical people will just ask "are you in pain?" and proceed to make a diagnosis based on the reply.

Hi . I read what you and Erin have said with more than passing interest. I do not personally have RA, but my wife, Kelly Mack (a contributor here), was diagnosed at age two, 45 years ago. She has a particularly virulent case and when she was young there were not really any good treatment options. She has used a wheelchair since her teens. One of the things Kelly has commented on is the fact that she doesn't have a memory of life before the RA and the pain. How do you describe or, for that matter rate, something when you don't know any different? The time frame of her case may be more extreme than most, but chronic pain may create this situation in those who have had the condition for a shorter period. I had a conversation with a doctor who discussed how the chronic pain changes brain chemistry and perception. How those with chronic conditions experience pain is different. I highly suspect the ability to describe it changes as well - at least in terms compared to how the rest of the population does. Hopefully others will chime in with their thoughts. Best, Richard (Team Member)