What we need to know about nociceptive pain

ABSTRACT

Pain is the sensation associated with injury, and injury produces pain. Pain is nociceptive (“normal”) when it results from the activity of healthy nociceptive afferents aroused by noxious stimuli. The physiology of nociception involves a complex interaction of peripheral and central nervous system structures. Strong and repeated noxious stimuli frequently affect the “pain system” and causing it to become sensitized. This gives rise to “amplified or pathophysiologic” nociceptive pain. The pathophysiology of nociceptive pain shows alterations of normal physiological pathways, giving rise to hyperalgesia, allodynia, and automatic pain. The main thought behind this article is that a better understanding of pain mechanisms will improve the rendering effective pain treatment