Growing Through Knowing

How the Brain Feels Pain

• Pain signals travel from the nerves to the spine to the brain. Many factors influence how we feel pain.
• Belly pain may be a result of overactive nerves in the gut telling the brain to feel pain.
• Imagine that there are gates that let pain signals through or block the pain from reaching the brain.
• When the gates are open, you feel more pain; when the gates are closed, you feel less pain.
• Many factors (i.e., medication, distraction) can influence the gates and how much pain you feel.
• Your thoughts and feelings can affect how much of the pain signals get to the brain.

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How Thoughts and Feelings Influence How We Feel Pain

• Events → Thoughts → Feelings and Behaviors
• Example: You have belly pain (event), think “this will never get better” and feel angry or sad.
• Behaviors: Your body may start to tense up, and your belly may even hurt worse.
• You may be less able to concentrate on things like schoolwork or having fun with friends.

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Things We Can Do to Help Us Deal with Pain

• Try to do things you enjoy even when you feel pain. Physical and social activities can really help!
• Don’t over- or under-do activities. Try to build in breaks to rest, recharge and relax.
• If you catch yourself thinking negatively about pain, try to think positively. For example, you can tell yourself, “I can cope with this” or “Things will get better soon”.
• Keep healthy habits. Get enough sleep, eat healthy, keep hydrated, and exercise regularly.
• You can use relaxation techniques to help calm your body and your mind.

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Parent Guidelines for Dealing with Pain

• Encourage your child to manage his/her pain independently.
• Eliminate frequent status checks – do not repeatedly ask about pain or how bad it is.
• Encourage normal activity during pain episodes (e.g., going to school, playing with friends).
• If pain leads to a reduction in activity (i.e., school absences), let your child quietly rest, (e.g., no games or special treat-ment).
• Follow your doctor’s recommendations for taking medications. If you are still having trouble, let your doctor know.