Pain is a perception that emerges from the brain as a result of complex processing of plenty of data (probabilistic present, past and future).
The projection of pain over an area indicates that, right at that time and place, the brain considers the existence of violent tissue destruction probability (necrosis).
The actual probability of violent destruction is variable. It might have been consummated or be about to if circumstances do not change immediately, or be an improbable situation, purely speculative.
There are, therefore, three types of pain:
1 - Consummated violent cell destruction, namely, necrosis: burns, tears, compressions, lack of oxygen, acids, infections...
2 - Threat of imminent necrosis: mechanical states and agents -thermal and chemical- on the limit of the tissues’ survival.
3 - Speculative evaluation: there is a speculation that right at that time and place a threat of violent destruction exists: probabilistic alert.
With the current diagnostic tools we can accurately detect (and discard) consummated necrosis processes. We can also identify agents and states that could potentially produce necrosis in the future if our actions exceed the limits of cell survival.
In the absence of imminent or consummated necrosis, the source of pain is the brain’s evaluation of threat. It hurts because the brain is concerned about the integrity of the tissues to be protected even if, at that time and place, there is no real threatening condition at all.
Pain, most of the time, corresponds to the brain’s made up alarmism.
The goal of the doctor is (or should be) to eliminate unjustified cerebral fear or, at least, not feed it.
Which doesn’t seem to be the actual trend ...
