title: Nociceptors and the peripheral nervous system's role in pain.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oral and Craniofacial Biological Sciences, University of Maryland, Baltimore, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Greenspan
mesh_terms: 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