Nociceptors and the peripheral nervous system's role in pain.
This article reviews the role that the peripheral nervous system plays in pain perception. The first section describes the functional properties of the primary sensory element-the nociceptor-and how its behavior is related to pain perception. The second section describes the current state of knowledge concerning the way our nociceptive sensing system changes as a result of tissue injury, including those changes related to sympathetic nervous system modulation of pain.
Greenspan
J D
JD
Department of Oral and Craniofacial Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
D006801:Humans; D006941:Hyperesthesia / Q000209:etiology; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D009619:Nociceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D010146:Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017933:Peripheral Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D014781:Viscera / Q000294:innervation; D014947:Wounds and Injuries / Q000150:complications