fájdalma

Fájdalom is a sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage. In Hungarian, the noun fájdalom refers to the sensation itself, while fájdalma is the possessive form meaning “his/her pain” (for example, a beteg fájdalma: the patient's pain). The term appears in everyday language as well as in clinical and scientific contexts, where it is used to describe a symptom rather than a disease.

Pain is commonly classified by duration and mechanism. Acute pain lasts for a short time in response to injury and often serves as a warning signal. Chronic pain persists beyond the usual healing period, often without a clear ongoing cause. Mechanistically, pain can be nociceptive (from intact tissue through nociceptors), neuropathic (from nerve injury or dysfunction), or mixed. Nociceptive pain can be somatic (from skin, muscle, joints) or visceral (from internal organs). Inflammation, tissue damage, and certain diseases can modulate pain intensity and quality.

Pathophysiology involves transduction of a harmful stimulus at peripheral nociceptors, transmission through A-delta and C fibers to the spinal cord, modulation along the central nervous system, and perception in higher brain centers. Central sensitization can amplify pain signals, making benign stimuli feel painful and prolonging discomfort even after the initial injury has healed.

Assessment relies primarily on patient self-report, as pain is subjective. Common measurement tools include visual analog scales (VAS), numeric rating scales (NRS), and more comprehensive instruments like the McGill Pain Questionnaire. In clinical practice, pain assessment also considers duration, location, intensity, impact on function, and psychological and social factors.

Management aims to address the underlying cause and alleviate suffering. Approaches include pharmacological treatments (analgesics such as NSAIDs, acetaminophen, and, when appropriate, opioids), physical therapy, psychological interventions, and, for chronic pain, multidisciplinary care. The concept of fájdalom emphasizes the need for careful evaluation and individualized treatment.