Pain in and of itself is not life threatening, but it can be a distraction to patient care. One of the primary goals of providing patient care is to treat the underlying injuries; to control bleeding, minimize swelling, and protect the injury—and thus, to minimize pain.
The pain associated with musculoskeletal injuries is caused by swelling or direct stimulation of pain receptors. Swelling causes distention of tissues thus stimulating stretch pain receptors. Swelling is also an inflammatory response, and with it comes the production of various inflammatory chemical mediators, such as prostaglandin, that directly and indirectly stimulate pain receptors. Pain control can be achieved by several mechanisms: minimizing swelling, preventing the production of prostaglandin, or blocking the nerve receptors responsible for pain.
