Transmission of Pain Signals by the Brain at the Spinal Level Essay

Transmission of Pain Signals by the Brain at the spinal anaesthesia anesthesia LevelPain has been defined by Coates & Hindle as an unpleasant ruttish and sensory experience which signals a potential or actual monetary value to tissues (2011, p. 213). Pain is a common human experience and chiffonier emanate from disgrace and illness. There are two main types of injure knowing pain is short-lived, lasting for minutes or several days and its flack often takes place rapidly. It results from the activation of pain nerve endings or nociceptors each by internal or external pain stimuli. On the otherwise hand chronic pain is continuous and sometimes recurrent and can last for weeks, months or even years. Chronic pain is usually not located at or related to the tissue undergoing trauma (Draper & Knight, 2007, p. 104). different theories have been proposed to explain the mechanism underlying the transmission and perception of pain.These embroil the specificity theory which maintai ns that specific fibers and pain receptors are activated by wound after which the pain signals are projected via the spinal pathway to an theater in the brain that interprets the pain. In this regard, the specificity theory virtually equates the peripheral injury with the psychological experience caused by the pain (Anderson, 2004, p. 355). However, this theory has been found to cheer several limitations as research about pain has intensified with time. In light of this, the inlet theory that was proposed by Melzack and Wall has had a major(ip) contribution to the understanding of pain transmission and perception (Pain Game pull up stakes 2, 2011). Research has demonstrated that pain is affected by psychological and physiologic factors which helps to explain the mechanism underlying banning and/or facilitaion of pai... ...t has been noted that the entrance control theory proposed by Melzack and Wall in 1965 formed the al-Qaeda of understanding the process of pain signal tra nsmission. The dorsal horn of the spinal cord is the region of the CNS that controls the passage of pain signals by content of opening and/or closing the gate. Pain can only be perceived if reaches the brain. Events that cause excitation much(prenominal) pain signals and the release of stimulative or facilitatory chemicals cause the gate to open whereas inhibitory events much(prenominal) as competing nerve impulses caused by rubbing trigger closure of the gate. The gate can also be closed due to descending inhibition enhanced by relaxation or the use of pain-relieving medication such as morphine. The brain stem is responsible for controlling the transmission of pain signals via the ascending and descending pain pathways.