Q. 1. Can you tell me how many types of pain there are? Some say two, others say four. What do you say?

A. 1. First of all, it can be said that there are two types of pains, one that hurts you and one that changes you. Many souls get closer to God through the suffering of either pains.

According to Phil Zylla, a Canadian theologian, there are four types of pain. The different types of pain and/or suffering are classified as:

(a) The physical pain.

“It's safe to say that most of us are not big fans of pain. Nevertheless, it is one of the body's most important communication tools. Imagine, for instance, what would happen if you felt nothing when you put your hand on a hot stove. Pain is one way that the body tells you something is wrong and needs attention.” [Source: https://www.webmd.com]

The two main categories of physical pain are either caused by tissue damage, also called “nociceptive pain” or pain caused by nerve damage, also called “neuropathic pain”.

• Acute pain starts suddenly and it is short-term. It typically comes on suddenly and has a limited duration. It is frequently caused by damage to tissue such as the bone, muscle, or organs, and the onset is often accompanied by anxiety or emotional distress.

• Chronic pain lasts for a longer period of time. It is generally somewhat resistant to medical treatment. It is usually associated with a long-term illness, such as osteoarthritis.

Bodily pain can result from illness, surgery and/or disease.

(b) The psychological pain.

This involves a sense of loss or, sometimes, trauma. You cannot see psychological pain. You cannot take an x-ray of it like you can of you broke an arm and know that something is wrong.

Psychological pain, also known as mental pain, is an unpleasant feeling (a suffering) of a psychological, non-physical origin. It is mental suffering, mental torment.

(c) The social pain.

This suffering refers to becoming a social outcast, social degradation, or shame.

A perfect example of this type of pain is the suffering that a sex offender endures for the rest of his/her life as a result of a conviction. In most countries, those individuals are outcasts of society. They are constantly shamed and degraded by the unforgiving souls.

Social pain is also endured by seniors who feel abandoned by society in general. Individuals who are without real friends, they suffer social pain that often goes unnoticed by an uncaring society.

Then there are societies like North America where the young have no respect or desire to be associated with their aging parents or any seniors in general. To them, the elder belong in a Home for Seniors where they can be forgotten.

(d) The spiritual pain.

“Spiritual suffering” can lead to despondency. (Despondency means a sense of hopelessness, despair, discouragement, a state of low spirits caused by loss of hope or courage.)

"Spiritual suffering," suggest that the human spirit has a shortfall. This may be love, faith, hope, or a virtue. “Spiritual suffering” is experienced when such needs are unfulfilled.

Spiritual pain can relate to a stage of spiritual dryness in life, when one feels far away from God, finding it difficult to pray or enjoy some spiritual growth.

Christians who find themselves on an island, having no Christian friends with who to share the life in Christ, have been known to suffer spiritual pain. That spiritual hunger for the sharing of the Word of God through Christian communication is a real pain.

Spiritual pain is suffered by an endless number of Christians who go to Church on a regular basis. When treated as a stranger, lacking Christian friendship from the faithful at the service, one fails to understand how Christ could be dwelling among people who are so cold. They leave the services with a hurting spirit that longs for more than what the Church/parish offers to those who come. That explains why some souls wonder from parish to parish, seeking a Church that they can call "home."

Those who seek their purpose in life, believing that there is a Creator, but being unsure of what their relationship should be with Him, can suffer spiritual pain for years until such time as they find the answer.

Spiritual pain is real. It cannot be touched, but it can be felt. It can be seen by the inner spirit of the spiritual souls. Spiritual care involves assisting in the fulfillment of the aforementioned needs. He who reaches out to those in spiritual need, they heal their spirit. Think about it!

So as you can see, in a way, there are two kinds of pain. In another way, there are four kinds of pain. It just depends on what kind of pain you are talking about.