No pain — A boon?

By Dr. Muhammad Hafizullah

“The pain was so intense, I felt like banging my head against the wall,” said Hameed while explaining his ailment. "I develop this headache usually in the evening and it builds up slowly to a peak where it becomes intolerable - any number of pain killers, I may take,  has no effect on it," he continued, "It starts from the front and then whole of left side starts throbbing and I start vomiting!".

Many have headaches involving both sides and others have on left or right side. Some have headaches on the back and others have confined to the front.

Many individuals wake up with headache and others develop it by the later part of the day.

Some can identify triggers and others get it without any reason. In some it may last for minutes and in others it takes days to abate.

Headache may be due to mere tension and it may be a symptom of brain tumour. In whatever form it may be, a headache is a headache- most unwanted and painful and at times very painful!

Anyone who has a throat has invariably experienced infections involving this area. Whereas throat's main functions are transmitting food, breathing and vocalising, this geographical area unfortunately, harbours lots of unwanted bugs, hence prone to recurrent infections.

Throat infections are very annoying as even normal routine of life like swallowing food or even saliva becomes painful. This area becomes the 'hub of activity' and transmits infection to adjoining areas like ears, nose and sinuses.

Infections in ears, especially in middle ear is most painful as high pressure builds up in a confined space and there is no let out.

Same is true when negative pressure builds up as the aeroplane descends. Infection of sinuses - cavities in bones of skull - can be excruciatingly painful.

This can literally push a sane person to bang one's head against a wall. The pain lasts for a long time as it takes time for the infection to clear.   

One of the most unforgettable experiences of life is a toothache. Most of us have endured toothaches in childhood. I have never been able to discern whether the toothache in itself is painful or the remedy of it.

Different home grown recipes are tried as ordinary pain killers fail to abate the severity of pain.

Some people swear by clove and other try different mixtures of herbs. Nothing works for sure. Toothache can drive any apparently reasonable person crazy. Worse if it hits you on a travel abroad or before an important meeting.

Delivery pains are very severe pain as muscles in uterus contract and blood supply is reduced. Though many endure the rigours of pain quietly, quite a few create a rumpus.

Heart attack pain is undoubtedly the most severe pain a person can have. Whereas in delivery the pain is due to reduced blood supply, here a portion of heart ceases to get blood due to complete blockage in one of the vessels.

The pain is most excruciating - capricious and unrelenting, accompanied by sweating and vomiting.

Most people present with 'angor animi' meaning an impending feeling of death.

This is most peculiar to heart attack. The pain is so severe that the unfortunate victim cannot even cry or shout. The person just writhes around either holding his chest or throwing arms around in air. 

Having been a witness to thousands of patients presenting with heart attack, it's still very painful to watch them in distress.

The pain relieves immediately as the artery opens up on administration of clot dissolving drugs or after angioplasty - opening of artery with balloon and stenting.

Among the victims of cancer, the continuous persistent pain takes a heavy toll. This is one condition in which doctors do not hesitate to administer pain killers which can cause addiction.

Many regimes have been developed for long-lasting pain relief using different cocktails. But the pain remains unconquered and euthanasia becomes an attractive offer. Unremitting pain makes even life a less attractive option. The only pleasure of life is to have a few seconds without pain!

Afflicted with bony injuries, the pain is very severe and intense but after sometime it improves. Slight movement provokes pain and the only way out is lying still.

Even going to bathroom becomes a luxury! Changing side in bed is accompanied by sighs! People with chronic ailments involving joints have more sever pain in morning accompanied by stiffness and inability to move.

Even holding a cup of tea is difficult. Help is required in getting out of bed and climbing stairs becomes a challenge.

Bearing any pain is difficult - may it be physical or mental! All pains -any where in the body are awful.

The intensity may be different but most of them will pass off in due course of time.

Bony injuries may be severe but short lasting and joint pains may not be very severe but last for long time.

To some extent, attitude of the patient and understanding of the disease process may be helpful but then again pain is pain and it has to be born.

Some may develop tolerance and the intensity may decrease but the bite remains the same.

Everyone can recall many anecdotes about 'painful' experiences of life but fortunately they are rare. Of course some may have more than others.

If there was no pain, it would have been difficult to appreciate the 'tranquility' and the luxury of having 'no pain'. One should be ever so grateful to Allah Subhanu Taala for leading a life with no active disease and pain.

Moments spent in health should be ravished and head bowed in humility and gratefulness.

Is there anything a person can physically or mentally do to ward of these snipers inflicting pain in so many different ways?

The answer is no. it's all due to His extreme kindness that right now we are not suffering from any acute pain.

It should be submitted very humbly in His honour-day in and out, to be spared of all types of physical and mental pains. Because having no pain at a given time is a luxury that needs to be appreciated.