Pain is your body’s way of telling you that something is wrong. Despite this, many of us ignore it in the hope that it will go away. In other cases, we may ignore it because we don’t want to face the problem or because we have too many other problems to sort out. This post explains why you should never ignore pain and what you should do when you notice pain.

You could be letting the pain (and the problem) get worse

You shouldn’t assume that the pain will go away on its own. In many cases, small pains can end up turning into more serious pains. On top of this, the problem causing the pain is likely to get worse.

For example, many people ignore unusual exercise pains thinking that they will go away with time. These can sometimes turn out to be injuries like torn tendons or fractures that require medical treatment and rest. Failing to get treatment can cause them to become more aggravated and more serious. The pain will likely get worse and the problem will become harder to treat. You could even turn a simple temporary injury into a permanent untreatable injury. 

Some pain does go away on it’s own – but that doesn’t mean the problem is gone

Some pains go away on their own, but it doesn’t mean that the problem is gone. You may find that the pain comes back again in the future and that it becomes a recurring problem. 

In other serious cases, pain going away could be a sign of permanent nerve damage. For example, a tooth infection that is ignored could eventually reach the nerve of the tooth – when this happens, the pain signals go away, but the infection persists, eventually spreading to other teeth. 

Treatment could also become more expensive the longer you leave it

Allowing a problem to get worse can make it harder to treat. More difficult treatment is typically more expensive – what may have been curable with a dose of medication may eventually require surgery or intensive rehabilitation. 

This is a reason why you should always see a dentist near you immediately if you notice a toothache. Catch it early, and you may be able to treat it cheaply with a dose of antibiotics. Ignore it, and it may require a more expensive procedure to treat such as root canal procedure or even a tooth extraction.

Pain alone can lead to other health problems

Pain can lead to stress, which can lead to a myriad of health problems ranging from high blood pressure to acne. People who live with chronic pain and don’t get the right treatment often end up developing stress-related health problems.

Pain can also stop you from getting a good night’s sleep. A lack of sleep will cause other health problems that could have been avoided if you got treatment. 

What should you do when you notice pain

When you notice a pain, try to work out intuitively what is causing it. For instance, back pain while sitting at a desk could be caused by poor posture, or a headache could be caused by dehydration. These are pains that you can solve yourself.

If you don’t know what the cause of the pain is, or it seems like a pain that requires medical treatment, schedule to see a health professional as soon as you can. Nowadays, there are many flexible ways to seek treatment around a busy life schedule such as phone appointments and video call appointments. When it comes to making payment affordable, ask about clinic instalment plans or trying looking into zero interest medical loans. Don’t allow yourself to make excuses for not getting treatment – you could regret this in the long run.