The Wilmington morning star., 1946-06-25
Doctor Says
REACTION TO PAIN
|. IS SELDOM ALJKp
BY WILLIAM A. o,BRJFN A.

Individuals vary greatly in ,5.;.
reactions to pain, although al ,L'
are equally alert and atteot %n'
feel pain at the same time NV
idea that sensitive persons, t.a'
pain more easily than those VII.
are less sensitive is not tru. IVY
DR.. Harold G. Wolff and AKA
ciates report in their "Cornsn
Conferences on Therapy'' that r.
actions to pain vary with age {rsir'
ing, race, concentration, sttitnds
confidence in a physician, and H.
way in which a p~ain-relievins
drug is given.
Pain may be a sign warniru
serious disease, and those who t. "
1t less acutely may delay in con
tacting a physician.
When a patient past 50 year, -
age has a pain over his hear w.
remembers the experiences Of bis
friends with heart trouble ,ns
seeks medical aid. Often he is ~
apprehensive over his conditioS
that he requires excessive amonnta
OF medicine and reinsurance ~
relieve his distress.
But when a young individua,
experiences pain over his hear
he may not have the same concprn
as does the older man, hence h.
may develop serious%co rnpIicas
tons.
The manner in which we react
to pain may be the result Of
training in childhood, While chill.
dren in pain require sympathetic
assistance, parents who magnify
every small hurt may create false
concepts of pain in their children's
minds. Boys and girls should be
trained to expect til certain
things will hurt, but that relief
will be obtained as soon as posi-.
BILE.
The English people always have
been noted for their restraint in
expressing their feelings, While
some of the other races react ex.
cessively on the slightest provo.
cation.
individuals who do not coop.
crate in controlling their reactions
to pain can be helped by sugges.
ton or by pain-relieving drugs.
Mothers know the value Of dis.
traction as a means of relieving
pain in childhood. Telling an in
teresting experience or reading a
story to a sick child may make the
pain disappear. Problems in arith-
metic, loud noises, and music also
distract the child's mind.
A woman who wants her baby
keenly may less distress
than a mother who does not desire
a baby and less than one who has
been conditioned to expect a great
deal of pain in childbirth In
one European hospital, a service
physician told me Of spending sew.
eral months assisting on the Oh.
~stetric service, where no pain.
BELIEVERS were used and where no
woman registered pain reaction
in labor.
When the patient has confidence
in a physician, that doctors pres
ence in the sick room will make
him feel better, while if the ply
stefan is a stranger or someone he
does not care for, the pain may be
made worse. It is a common eX-
perience for a toothache to stop
when we get to the dentists
office, or for a patient to need
novocaire when one dentist works
on his t e e h and nothing at al
with another dentist.
A hypodermic injection Of ster'
lie water may relieve severe pam
if the treatment is presented 10
the patient in such a way that NJ
is made to believe that a potent
drug is being given. Advertisers
of fake remedies work on thlS
principle of suggestion to eXpIoN
the public.
QUESTION: Is a co-neal trans
plant of value in all forms Oh
blindness?
ANSWER. No. It is performed