title: No pain, no gain: pain behaviour in the armed forces.
abstract: Pain is a unique phenomenon that is difficult to express and is influenced by many different factors, including cultural expectations. A dichotomy exists within the British Armed Forces between pain being seen as necessary--the "no pain, no gain" view--and the opposite image of stoical service personnel who suppress their emotions--the "roughie-toughie" image. This dichotomy was explored through an ethnographic study of pain behaviour experienced during a training course. Pain behaviour was found to be consistent with cultural expectations and this supported the "no pain, no gain" perspective. Physical and psychological pain were expressed differently, reinforcing the western, scientific mind-body dichotomy. In addition, personnel frequently tried to suppress their pain and this supported the "roughie-toughie" philosophy. Thus, pain expression varies according to the context in which it occurs. Nurses need to be aware of this to ensure they interpret and manage their patients' pain appropriately.
authors.affiliation: Royal Centre for Defence Medicine, Birmingham.
authors.forename: Phil
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Harper
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000337:Aerospace Medicine; D000884:Anthropology, Cultural; D001294:Attitude to Health / Q000208:ethnology*; D003142:Communication; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007697:Kinesics; D019365:Metaphor; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D015279:Organizational Culture; D010146:Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000451:nursing; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017288:Pain Threshold; D010684:Philosophy; D012660:Semantics; D012938:Social Perception; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D006113:United Kingdom; D014705:Verbal Behavior