Most pain comes from tissue damage. The pain stems from an injury to the body's tissues. The injury can be to bone, soft tissue, or organs. The injury to body tissue can come from a disease such as cancer, or it can come from physical injury such as a cut or a broken bone.
The pain you experience may be an ache, a sharp stabbing, or a throbbing. It could come and go, or it could be constant. You may feel the pain worsen when you move or laugh. Sometimes, breathing deeply can intensify it.
Pain from tissue damage can be acute. For example, sports injuries like a sprained ankle or turf toe are often the result of damage to soft tissue. It can also be chronic, such as arthritis or chronic headaches. Certain medical treatments, such as radiation for cancer, can also cause tissue damage that results in pain.