Pain theories
There are some theories that are available to explain clinical aspects of pain, but none explain all aspects.
Specificity/traditional theory:
Proposes that there are specific pain receptors (free nerve endings) located in periphery and go to a specific pain centre in brain. Impulses transmitted along A-delta and C fibres.
Pattern theory:
Pain is result of intense stimulation of nonspecific receptors travels along nonspecific pathways to brain
However, there is evidence of receptor specific fibre specialisation
Central summation theory:
Reverberating circuits in spinal interneurons result from intense pathological stimulation – they can be activated by normally non-noxious stimuli abnormal amounts of impulses interpreted as pain
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