• Question: What is pain?

    Asked by jesusjones to Andrew, Ben, Beth, Heather, Louisa on 22 Jun 2010 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Andrew McKinley

      Andrew McKinley answered on 19 Jun 2010:

      Pain is a nerve impulse that is transmitted to our brain when a nerve is stimulated. I’m not an expert in the field, but my understanding is that pain is the result of over-stimulation of the nerve – when the signal that reaches the brain is so intense we react by going ‘OUCH!’

    • Photo: Ben Still

      Ben Still answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Electric signals sent through special cells, called Neurons, to the brain to tell you something isn’t quite right.

      There is fewer Neurons per area in the skin on your elbow than elsewhere on your body. Give your elbow skin a pinch and I bet it will not hurt much, if at all, compared to other places.

    • Photo: Heather McKee

      Heather McKee answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      h

    • Photo: Louisa Chard

      Louisa Chard answered on 21 Jun 2010:

      Pain is the result of the simulation of nerves in the peripheral nervous system. These nerves are called nociceptors and are present in the periphery of the body (skin for example). These respond to stimuli such as hot or cold and send messages through the nerves of the spinal cord to the brain, which then tells us how to respond. The sensing of pain is thought to have evolved to make us withdraw rom harmful or dangerous situations. I don’t know why some people have higher pain thesholds than others though.

    • Photo: Beth Dyson

      Beth Dyson answered on 22 Jun 2010:

      Pain is the way that our bodies tell us to avoid something. So we feel pain as a warning to stop doing what we’re doing before we get really damaged! Although i don’t know why some things seem to be unnecessarily painful, like stubbing your toe or banging your elbow!!

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