What is neuropathic pain, or nerve pain? To have a clear picture of what neuropathic or nerve pain is, it’s important to understand the following terms:
Nociceptors. These are nerve cell endings that detect potential or actual damage to a tissue. Once activated, they send signals to the brain, initiating the sensation of pain2.
Somatosensory System. This is the part of the sensory nervous system that’s concerned with the conscious perception of sensations. These include touch, pressure, pain, temperature, position, movement, and vibration which arise from the muscles, joints, skin, and linings of blood vessels and organs3.
The pain arising from the activation of nociceptors due to potential or actual damage to a body tissue is called nociceptive pain1. It is the nervous system’s way of telling you there’s something wrong with a part of your body.
Neuropathic or nerve pain, on the other hand, occurs when there is a lesion or disease of the somatosensory nervous system1. In other words, you experience pain because there is an issue with the nerves that carry sensation to the brain.
Note that pain can sometimes have both neuropathic and nociceptive components. This is called mixed pain.
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