Pain

According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP), one should distinguish between pain and nociception. Pain is a subjective experience that accompanies nociception, but can also arise without any stimuli. It includes the emotional response. Nociception is a neurophysiologic term and denotes the activity in the nerve pathways. These pathways transmit the unpleasant signals that are not always painful. Although pain can be associated with tissue damage or inflammation, this is often not the case.

Related Topics:
International Association for the Study of Pain - Stimuli - Emotional - Neurophysiologic - Tissue - Inflammation

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Despite its unpleasantness, pain is a critical component of the body's defense system. It is part of a rapid warning and defense relay instructing the motor neurons of the central nervous system to minimize detected physical harm.

Related Topics:
Body - Motor neurons - Harm

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The gate control theory of pain is a theory concerning how cognitive and emotional factors might dramatically influence painful sensations. It focuses on different pain states at the brain, rather than at the perceived site of injury.

Related Topics:
Gate control theory of pain - Cognitive - Emotion

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