Nociceptive pain may be somatic or visceral in nature.
Examples of nociceptive pain:
Headaches Pelvic pain not caused by nerve damage Arthritis Fibromyalgia
When you experience somatic pain, nociceptors send pain messages to the spinal cord and brain for interpretation. This type of pain is often easy to locate, as sensory nerves are well-distributed throughout the soft tissue.
Examples of somatic pain include:
Tension headaches Pelvic pain from joint instability Arthritis Bone fracture Back pain not caused by nerves
Sensory nerves in the internal organs are not as widespread as they are in the body’s muscles and skin. This can make visceral pain feel dull and hard to localize. Unlike somatic pain, visceral pain may be felt further away from its actual origin.
Some examples of visceral pain include:
Endometriosis Irritable bowel syndrome Bladder pain (such as cystitis) Prostate pain
Neuropathic pain is caused by nerve disturbances and spontaneous transmission of pain signals to the spinal cord and brain. Neuropathic pain is often described as sharp, stabbing, shooting, burning, or electrical.
Some possible reasons for neuropathic pain include nerve irritation, nerve damage or the formation of a neuroma.
Examples of neuropathic pain include:
Peripheral neuropathy (for example, diabetic neuropathy) Post-mastectomy pain Sciatica
Psychogenic pain is real, though it may require a different treatment approach than other physical types of pain. Non-pharmaceutical pain treatments, combined with antidepressants or other psychological medications, are often more effective than traditional painkillers. These include:
TENS Distraction Relaxation Counseling
Idiopathic pain is more common in people who have a pre-existing pain disorder. These disorders include TMJ disorders and fibromyalgia.
Because its cause is not apparent, idiopathic pain is often difficult to treat.
