Anaesthesia | Pain | Physiology of Pain Transmission

Physiology of Pain Transmission
Session Overview
Description
This session provides an overview of peripheral mechanisms of injury-induced and inflammatory pain. It includes a description of the physiology of nociception at the dorsal horn and supraspinal levels.

Learning Objectives
By the end of this session you will be able to:

• Explain why a warm shower feels burning hot on sunburned skin
• Explain how non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs act as analgesics
• Recognize the major mediators of inflammatory pain in the periphery
• Explain the role of sodium channels in nociception
• Explain how chilli peppers produce the sensation of heat
• List the major excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters involved in pain transmission at the dorsal horn
• Explain why the longer pain is left untreated, the harder it can be to control
• Describe the physiological response to pain
   

Prerequisites
Before commencing this session you should:

• Module 05a/Anatomy of Nociceptive Pathway/Anatomy of the Ascending Pain Pathway (001-0496)