Physiology of Pain course
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
Before commencing this session you should:
- Module 05a/Anatomy of Nociceptive Pathway/Anatomy of the Ascending Pain Pathway (001-0496)
Dr Williams studied medicine at Aberdeen University, qualifying MB, ChB in 1991. He took up his post in Glasgow in 2004.
He chairs the West of Scotland Pain Group and is responsible for coordinating ST3 and 4 training in pain management for the West of Scotland School of Anaesthesia. He has a major clinical interest in pain management, including clinical input to the Glasgow pain management programme. Research interests include trainee assessment and clinical informatics in pain management.
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