© THOM GRAVES
Persistent pain continues even after the damage is resolved, or in some cases, in the absence of an acute injury in the first place. The difference between this and acute pain, also known as nociception, researchers are learning, comes down to the neural mechanisms that trigger these distinct signals in the brain.
Nociception
Acute pain is caused by the activation of nociceptive sensory neurons in the periphery. These neurons trigger the firing of a series of connected somatosensory neurons up the spinal cord and into the brain, transferring information about the intensity and duration of the painful stimulus.
Persistent pain Pain that persists long after or in the absence of injury can result from the misfiring of the normal nociceptive pathway. This can be triggered ...
