THE PAIN PATHWAY

From the initial trigger to the feeling of ‘ouch’, the whole process takes only a matter of milliseconds 1. Specialised sensory receptors called nociceptors detect the painful stimulus, converting it into an electrical signal. There are different nociceptors for different stimuli: heat, mechanical, chemical/acid, and cold. Some detect more than one type of stimulus. 3. A network of many brain regions is involved in processing the signal. The perception of pain emerges from this complex activity. 2. The signal travels along two types of pain nerve fibre to the spinal cord. A-delta fibres carry the sharp, rapid pain, while C fibres carry the slow, dull ache. Signals are modulated in the spinal cord before being sent to the brain.