Unlike somatic pain, you might not feel visceral pain exactly at the area that is injured or inflamed. In other words, visceral pain can be felt further away from its actual origin; this is called referred pain. Another difference between somatic and visceral pain is that visceral pain may be associated with other symptoms like nausea, vomiting, or jitteriness, which less commonly occurs with somatic pain.
When nociceptors detect physical damage to your body, they create electrical signals. The signals travel to your spinal cord, which then sends the message up to the brain. This process occurs rapidly, involves four key steps, and is the same for both somatic and visceral nociceptive pain:. The concepts of pain threshold when a sensation becomes "painful" and pain tolerance the amount of pain a person endures also fit into this stage.
A person's pain threshold and tolerance are based on a number of factors, both learned and inherited. Most of the time, nociceptors stop firing once the injury or illness has resolved, which may require treatment, healing time, or both, depending on the underlying cause. You have probably noticed this when you have recovered from a cut, a broken bone, or an infection.
Sometimes, however, the body can release substances that make nociceptors more sensitive even after an injury has healed, causing them to continue to fire. For example, when a painful condition is prolonged, the repetitive stimulation can sensitize the neurons for the long-term, resulting in excessive reactivity to pain.
This can lead to chronic pain issues such as headaches , arthritis , fibromyalgia , and pelvic pain. Treatment of nociceptive pain depends on the specific injury, and whether the pain is acute or chronic. For example, an acute injury like a hard bump on a table may simply require ice or a one-time dose of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory NSAID like ibuprofen. On the other hand, chronic pain, like from fibromyalgia, may require a daily medication to thwart pain signaling.
More specifically, when it comes to medications, most target one of the four pain phases. For instance, NSAIDs target the first phase transduction by reducing prostaglandins, thus decreasing the activation of nociceptors. Likewise, an epidural spinal injection for a bulging or herniated disc also targets phase one. On the other hand, opioids and antidepressants target phase four modulation , so they work by inhibiting the pain signals that are sent along the nerve pathway.
Of course, besides medications, there are a plethora of other therapies used to treat nociceptive pain, with some examples including:.
Neuropathic pain is pain that comes from damage to the nerves or nervous system. It causes a shooting and burning type of pain or numbness and tingling. Phantom limb syndrome is an example of this. Nociceptive pain can often be acute pain. Acute pain is a kind of short-term pain that lasts less than 3 to 6 months. It can often be caused by an injury, and it will usually go away once the injury has healed.
Acute, nociceptive pain often feels different from neurological or long-term pain. Radiculopathy is an example of a condition that causes radicular pain. Radiculopathy occurs when a nerve is pinched in the spine. It causes numbness, weakness, and tingling — or feelings of pins and needles — among other symptoms.
Somatic pain happens when any of the pain receptors in your tissues, such as muscles, bone, or skin, are activated. This type of pain is often stimulated by movement. Headaches and cuts are both considered somatic pain. Visceral pain happens when internal organs, such as involuntary muscles in the heart, are injured or inflamed. This type of pain is usually described as aching. The location may seem vague. Treatment of this type of pain depends on the seriousness of the injury.
In the case of minor injuries, the pain quite often goes away as the injury heals. However, if your pain continues, you need to talk with your doctor. Your pain management is decided based on your symptoms and what caused the pain. Your doctors will assess:. This sends pain radiating down your leg or arm. Sometimes the pain can be relieved by an epidural steroid injection combined with physical therapy. Pain caused by a bruise should go away once the bruise has healed.
Remondino, M. Brian E. Snell, M. Tibbs, Jr. Benjamin White, M. Robert J. Wienecke, M. Difference Between Neuropathic and Nociceptive Pain It is because of the chemical and electrical signals that the brain shares when you feel pain due to any damage. How does Neuropathic Pain happen? Neuropathic back pain or spinal pain can include: Chronic leg radiation pain lumbar radiculopathy or sciatica Chronic arm pain cervical radiculopathy Pain after back surgery, commonly known as failed back surgery, that starts and persists.
What Is Crucial in Early Treatment?
0コメント