Pain Quiz: Test Your IQ of Pain

The definition of myalgia is muscle pain.

Phantom pain refers to pain that seems to come from a limb that has been amputated. The amputation site contains nerve endings that continue to send pain signals to the brain, even though the limb is no longer there. This type of pain is most common soon after surgery, and tends to lessen within 6 months, though some people still experience phantom pain for years.

Pain relievers don't actually work where your pain is; they work on your brain and interfere with it sending pain signals throughout the body.

The body has sensory nerves that communicate with your brain telling it what hurts, and how much.

"Algia" comes from the Greek "algos," which means pain. "Arthr(o)" refers to joints, and "neur(o)" refers to nerves. Thus, arthralgia is joint pain, and neuralgia is nerve pain.

The brain is the organ that helps us detect pain in parts of our body, but the brain itself has no pain receptors and cannot feel pain.

The most common site of joint pain is the knee, followed by the shoulders, fingers, and hips.

Pain that is resistant to medical treatment is chronic pain, also referred to as chronic pain syndrome. Chronic pain is generally defined as pain that lasts at least 12 weeks. While chronic pain cannot be cured, it can sometimes be managed. If medications do not help manage the pain, acupuncture, electrical stimulation, nerve blocks, and surgery may be used. Psychotherapy, relaxation techniques, behavior modification, biofeedback, medication, tai chi, and massage therapies may also provide some relief.

Doctors measure pain on a scale of zero to 10. This can help your health care provider get a true sense of the pain you are in, and how best to treat it. Zero means no pain, while 10 is excruciating pain, the worst you have ever experienced, that could cause you to pass out. Levels 1 through 3 are mild pain that does not interfere with most activities. Pain on a scale of 4 to 6 ranges from distressing to intense and may interfere with some activities. Pain in the range of 7 to 10 is severe and so intense you cannot function.

Morphine is a narcotic pain reliever derived from opium. It is an opium alkaloid that comes from the poppy plant. It is one of the most effective drugs used for relief of severe pain. The name "morphine" comes from "Morpheus," the mythological son of sleep and the god of dreams.

The term "narcotic" is derived from the Greek word narkotikon, which means "to make numb." Narcotics are used in medicine to relieve pain by numbing the senses. Preoperatively, they may be given to reduce anxiety. They also act as cough suppressants and anti-diarrheal medications. Narcotics are also highly addictive, and people can become dependent on them.