Critically evaluate the idea that pain is simply a response to a painful stimulus. Essay on Pain: Unit 3 There are various definitions of pain. The most commonly accepted one appears to be "an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience resulting from actual or potential tissue damage or described in terms of such damage." The most appropriate definition of pain in clinical practice was suggested by Margo McCaffrey in (1968). His definition was “whatever the experiencing person says it is, exists whenever he says so.” Pain is a disgusting sensation that is carried to the brain by sensory neurons. Symptoms of displeasure act on potential damage to the body. While saying that pain is more than a feeling or the actual tangible awareness of pain. It also includes the perception and subjective understanding of discomfort. Perception provides information about the location of a pain, its intensity and something about its nature. The mechanism of pain perception, i.e. how do we feel pain? If we were to look at McCaffery's definition of pain, this indicates that pain is understood and felt completely differently in each individual case. This definition also suggests that painful experiences really depend on the person experiencing them, and that no one else is completely capable of knowing or understanding how they feel about that pain. McCaffery in his definition does not actually state or explain what pain is, what causes discomfort, or how or why pain occurs. The multiple conscious and unconscious reactions to both perception and sensation, as well as any emotional recognition, also provide a more defined concept of it. There are many reasons why pain might occur...... middle of paper... ...dictionPrentice Hall Publishing LTD, NYRamachandran. VS and Blakeslee. S (1998) Ghosts in the brain: probing the mysteries of the human mind. William Morrow Publishing. NY http://www.emotionalprocessing.org.uk/Chronic%20pain/Cognitive%20behavioural%20model%20of%20pain.htmRDSU/NHS TRUST (2003) Accessed 17/02/10 http://www.emotionalprocessing. org.uk /Chronic%20pain/History%20of%20chronic%20pain.htmRDSU/NHS TRUST (2003) Accessed 19/02/10http://www.pain-management-info.com/definition-of-pain. htmplanet cognition (2007 )Accessed 02/09/2010http://www.pain.com/go/default/pain.com (2007)Accessed 02/10/2010http://www.partnersagainstpain.com/Purdue Parma LTD (2010)Accessed on 18/02/2010http://www.emotionalprocessing.org.uk/Chronic%20pain/History%20of%20chronic%20pain.htmDorset RDSU (2003) Accessed on 16/02/2010