Understanding Pain.

I really would like to talk about pain. I have read a lot of post by many of the members here and I find it very scary how some of you state your reaction to pain.

This is strictly just my opinion about pain and I would love to here all of your opinions. A couple of people in this forum know my background in Security Forces, Police Officer, E.O.D., Anti / Counter Terrorism tactics, Defensive Tactics instructor, ASP Baton instructor, (OCAT) instructor, SWAT team consultant and my work with the government.

So there is just alittle bit about me. To me there are three kinds of people and how they take pain.

1. The Weak: These are the people that get struck in the arm and complain or get a paper cut and cry about it. I have no tolerance for these people. I understand some people just can’t handle it and I have to deal with it but it is one type of person that is in my list of pain.

2. The Mind over Matter: What I mean here, is that there are people that think if they do kata and whatever
else there art offers to making them think they are in a warrior state of mind. I have meet people like this all
over the world and I have seen some of these kinds of people fight and I do agree that they either have just a
very focused mind and handle it or they just don’t see how bad they get hurt until the following hours and
days.

3. The Crazy Mind: I fit into this section. These kinds of people have a very weird way of handling pain. What
I mean by this, I will use myself for an example, when I get hurt very badly like my broken legs and so on I
Always start laughing. I don’t think it is funny it is just how I handle it. I ether laugh or say I’m in street fight
And I get hit really good, I just keep smiling and get more pissed off. You guys know what I’m talking about here.

Now my style number three is not a good way of taking pain because you could get hurt a lot worse in that situation some people can just handle pain and take it like it was nothing, some can overcome it and some just can’t handle it at all. What do you think?


[This message has been edited by ocman (edited 11-20-2004).]

Good topic!

There are a lot of variables to be thrown into the mix.

Firstly, everybodys pain threshold is different, some a lot lower than others.

Secondly, peoples pain threshold can change with mindset, circumstances, adrenaline, alchohol, drugs, etc.

Someone who may have a low pain threshold on a day to day basis may have a high pain threshold under the influence of adrenaline.

I'm going to look into this some more.

Take care,

Gaffer.

I think one's physical condition matters to, a person with very high body fat probably hurts easier then a person that's very well trained. Also you can practice how much pain you can take (to a limit).

I'd like to add a type to your list ocman: There's the people who become very very pissed but stay's completley in focus.

ocman, I don't see why you don't have a tolerance for people who can't take pain. I am one of those people. It's not as if I stub my toe and act like it's the end of the world. But I definately don't like getting hurt. It's just a simple fact... our minds are trained to feel pain when our subconscious detects something is wrong with our body. I've always seen people who try to act tough and say "That doesn't hurt." even though you know it hurts. There is no... one thing hurts more for one person and less for another. It's all about mentality. If you get hurt and decide "I'm already hurt what is the point in acting hurt? It's not going to fix anything." or "I can't show pain because it is a sign of weakness." You are more likely to tolerate the pain. I personally believe that honest expression is the most important thing in life. So when I get hurt, it's just my natural reaction to instantly act hurt because i'm used to expressing feelings as they surface.

I knew kids in high-school who thought it was really cool to pretend they didn't feel pain. They were obviously full of it. If they were warned about whether or not they were going to be hurt ( like putting a lighter under their hand to demonstrate how tough they are ) they would sit there and act like they didn't feel it as long as they could. Sadly enough, if you surprised them they would freak out just like everyone else. You have to have some sort of nerve damage to be surprised by pain and not react normally. Nobody takes pain calmly without being prepared.

It's all about control and how you want to express your pain. Most people who like to act tough will not show pain if they can control themselves. How can this be proven? Not suggesting you actually try this.. but imagine being set on fire. I've got 20$ that say you wouldn't stand there and laugh. Simply because that level of pain is outside of your control.

Fact Of The Day!
There is no difference between nerves that carry pain signals and pleasure signals. They carry the signals to the same part of the brain. It is our subconscious perception that turns it into pain or pleasure. How's that for mind over matter?

Dude, you're crazy. Getting hit in the head does more damage, but it doesn't hurt like a paper cut!

Yes, pain exists. But you can get used to it. It's not about being tough - being tough is about getting the job done.

ocman...

wow...what a crazy, insane, amazing martial artist you must be. congratulations on your incredible training and skill and your insane tolerance and attitude to pain.


[This message has been edited by 1st Round KO (edited 11-21-2004).]

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[This message has been edited by 1st Round KO (edited 11-21-2004).]

[IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/rolleyes.gif[/IMG]

1st Round KO: your reply ‘s are just well you no.

Mark Hill: Thanks for the reply.

Orion: I agree with you look at it.

Gaffer: Same for you good point you brought up.


Drakar: Your point is taken but not well. I understand that maybe you don’t tolerate pain very good, but since I have never been around people like that it just is funny to me when I see it happen to some one. And your fact of the day I don’t really think it shocked any one because we all know that. But in different lines of work some of us have trained to ignore pain to get the job done and then go home and deal with it, and that is what I do.

Ocman, taking pain meaning you don't express your feelings? What difference does it make if you express the fact that you are in pain or you don't? We are both feeling pain. That is purely ego in my opinion. The perception that to hide ones feelings is more warrior-like than to show them.

I find it funny really. That people feel the need to brag about such things. I would compare such a situation to this....

When you win something... we'll use the lottery for example... wouldn't you express your joy? Does it seem wrong to you to express joy? Surely not. Everyone would prance around grinning and giggling like a little girl if they won the lottery tomorrow. The only difference is that you don't see showing joy as a weakness like you do pain. So is it that you don't understand people like me, who show our pain. Or is it that you just look down to us because we aren't as MANLY as you?

Say what you will about pain and who's tougher. If my loved ones were in danger and I had a leg that just got torn off i'd hop to their rescue with my one leg and then worry about the damage later. I just don't see why I should summon my ability to endure a great deal of pain everytime I get a papercut instead of just saying "Ow."

Though I will take a hint about the whole toughness deal next time I try to impress a girl. "Hey baby... I can take a papercut without even FLINCHING! Watch this!" [IMG]http://www.fightingarts.com/forums/ubb/smile.gif[/IMG]

[This message has been edited by Drakar (edited 11-21-2004).]

If I am in a street fight and I hit someone in the jaw, and they start laughing. I know it hurt them.

Its the guys that have no reaction to it that worry me.

On a side note...papper cuts really do hurt I'd rather get punched or something that getting a papper cut...they're awful *shudders*

Yeh i think the whole acting tough thing is way overrated.. It seems to me that alot of guys want to "prove themselves" or something. Acting tough is some sort of measure of the manhood. I reckon its all just fueled by teenage peer pressure stupidity and too much alchohol. Some people think that being able to drink lots of alchohol makes you a hard man. And of course that guys dont cry. Its all the same... I dont buy into any of this crap and try to avoid anyone that does. I'm the first person to admit i can get drunk off 2 beers and i love it, saves heaps of money. Not that i need to get drunk to have fun though.
I havent cried since i was like 14 and got my head kicked in which i believe to be pretty good reason and none of my clasmates gave me **** for that.

But yeh I live with constant pain due to a medical condition, but yeh i dont let anyone know. Its just the little annoying pain that gets me, papercuts, little bits of skin getting ripped off around my fingernails ooh thats nasty. But yeh when ive been punched it doesnt hurt that much, its the damage the day after that hurts. Ive never broken my bones or nothing but i think the major stuff tends to get blocked out a little. Like i smacked my forehead on the corner of my car door once and sure i swore at it but that was it.. went out feeling a little woosy and 1 of my mates freaked out at it hardcore i probably shouldve had stiches. Anyway i was having alot of fun while cleaning up the wound cause my mate was cringing and stuff going "doesnt that hurt" and it didnt, decent scar there now.

My most painful experience would be picking up a re hot knife, by the hot end. Anyone whos smoked pot will probably know what im talking about here. Well it hurt like hell eyes pooping out of sockets sorta style, when i tried to let go it was stuck there and i couldnt. Eventually got it free and it hurt twice as bad.. Lotsa water later i had huge blisters on my fingertips.. but they didnt hurt at all which i though was strange cause normally even little burns annoy me for hours..
anyway moral of the story.. dont do drugs they'll **** u up.

[This message has been edited by BloodJunkie (edited 11-30-2004).]