Pain vs. Malaise: What's the Difference, Neurologically?

TJ_Fitz

Well-Known Member
I've been thinking a lot about the difference between pain and malaise. I just had sinus surgery on 9/26/18, and I was looking at a 1-10 pain scale to get a feel for how bad my pain was before taking a Lortab. Honestly, pain is usually in the 4-5 range (which isn't that bad) when I feel the need for medication, but pain just doesn't take in the whole scope of unpleasantness that is relieved by the drug.

Does anyone here have a good idea about the neurological processes involved in malaise, and how they compare with the neurology of pain? Seems like the "pain scale" would be more useful if it took in pain, malaise, and any sort of unpleasant or uncomfortable physical sensations.

[bimg=no-lightbox]https://cdn.paindoctor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/pain-scales.png[/bimg]
 
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Farmgirl

Well-Known Member
@TJ_in_UT

Sometimes I am at level 8-9. Please does this. The two seem related...pain and malaise.

This is interesting.
When I started on LDN, I had been on other meds for pain for 8 years and went off them. I was surprised how well the LDN worked cibsudering it usn't a narcotic.I had the same experience with Gabapentin...such relief, but it caused too many side effects so I cannot take it.

When I get PEM and have pushed too hard, I can take 2 pain pills and it won't even touch the pain. Cannot move, must be in bed until I can move again, which is usually 5-16 hours, or sometimes days if I am really bad (except for bathroom trips).

I think immune system pain us different from "normal"pain.

It seems like the OEM pain is a pain that your body creates when you have a high fever....spine aches, body aches, etc, but with no fever???

Anybody else? Experiences in this area? FG
 

dejurgen

Well-Known Member
When I get PEM and have pushed too hard, I can take 2 pain pills and it won't even touch the pain.

I believe a lot of the increase in pain during PEM or likewise is due to a strong increase in oxidative stress. At least I experience it so time and again.

If so, pain, PEM and malaise are likely all strongly increased by increased oxidative stress so them increasing simultaneously should be a common thing as many of us experience.
 

TJ_Fitz

Well-Known Member
@Farmgirl, what side effects did you have with gabapentin? I take it currently, and I think it causes some of my headaches, or maybe I get the headaches as it's leaving my system.
 

Farmgirl

Well-Known Member
@Farmgirl, what side effects did you have with gabapentin? I take it currently, and I think it causes some of my headaches, or maybe I get the headaches as it's leaving my system.
@TJ_in_Utah
Hi, The first time I took it they gave me 300mg pill, but I didn't know at that time I had methylation issues (MTHFR defect) so I should have been started on a small dose and worked up.

Anyways, I had a bad low blood sugar reaction and almost passed out. It happens the next day every time I tried to take it, but it really helped my pain.

I can't remember any headaches. But we each are different. Do you know you can get a 100 mg pill?

Sorry you have headaches. I get herx headaches almost daily from my ME and Lyme Rx.
DO take care. FG
 
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Farmgirl

Well-Known Member
I believe a lot of the increase in pain during PEM or likewise is due to a strong increase in oxidative stress. At least I experience it so time and again.

If so, pain, PEM and malaise are likely all strongly increased by increased oxidative stress so them increasing simultaneously should be a common thing as many of us experience.

That sounds about right. Those are big words I don't understand but my body is yelling and screaming it all the time!

I used to get it occasionally, too, but now I get it every day. Really cramping my style...if I had any in the first place, it is totally gone now!
 

Tamsyn

Member
I take Gabapentin 300 mg before bed and it's been such a huge help in controlling pain and allowing me to fall asleep. I did originally also try taking it first thing in the morning, but then it made me feel spaced out and weird, so I dropped that dose. Have no side effects from the bedtime dose at all, and have taken it now for many years. But if I over-exert and get bad PEM, nothing really helps with the pain. All I can do is wait and rest.

A scale that assessed malaise as well as pain would be useful! Malaise is sometimes hard to describe, so just stating a number would be a good way to convey it.
 

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