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So, if a hotplate on a person's skin begins to hurt at 42 °C (107 °F), that is the pain threshold temperature for that bit of skin at that time. It is not the pain threshold (which is internal/subjective) but the temperature at which the pain threshold was crossed (which is external/objective).
A dolorimeter is an instrument used to measure pain threshold and pain tolerance. Dolorimetry has been defined as "the measurement of pain sensitivity or pain intensity". [ 1 ] Dolorimeters apply steady pressure, heat, or electrical stimulation to some area, or move a joint or other body part and determine what level of heat or pressure or ...
Hyperalgesia (/ ˌ h aɪ p ər æ l ˈ dʒ iː z i ə / or /-s i ə /; hyper from Greek ὑπέρ (huper) 'over' + -algesia from Greek ἄλγος (algos) 'pain') is an abnormally increased sensitivity to pain, which may be caused by damage to nociceptors or peripheral nerves and can cause hypersensitivity to stimulus.
' pain receptor ') is a sensory neuron that responds to damaging or potentially damaging stimuli by sending "possible threat" signals [1] [2] [3] to the spinal cord and the brain. The brain creates the sensation of pain to direct attention to the body part, so the threat can be mitigated; this process is called nociception.
A mouse of one genetic line may be more or less tolerant of pain than a mouse of another genetic line. Also, a mouse of one genetic line may experience a higher or lower effectiveness of an analgesic than a mouse of another genetic line. Using this test, researchers can also begin to identify genes that play a role in pain sensation.
[16]: 93 Others apply "acute" to pain that lasts less than 30 days, "chronic" to pain of more than six months' duration, and "subacute" to pain that lasts from one to six months. [17] A popular alternative definition of "chronic pain", involving no arbitrarily fixed duration, is "pain that extends beyond the expected period of healing". [15]
The intensity of pain reported is consistently reduced in response to touch. [5] [6] [7] This occurs whether the touch is at the same time as the pain, or even if the touch occurs before the pain. [8] Touch also reduces the activation of cortical areas that respond to painful stimuli. [9]
Allodynia is a condition in which pain is caused by a stimulus that does not normally elicit pain. [1] For example, sunburn can cause temporary allodynia, so that usually painless stimuli, such as wearing clothing or running cold or warm water over it, can be very painful.