| Pain sensation begins with the stimulation of a nociceptor, or nerve ending, and resultant activation of a sensory nerve. |
| These mediators lower the nociceptor threshold, making the receptors more responsive to painful stimuli. |
| Nociceptor stimulation triggers action potentials in sensory nerve fibres that transmit impulses to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. |
| The source of pain determines the type of nociceptor involved. |
| Once stimulated, nociceptors fife action potentials that travel along the nociceptor fibre to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. |
| At the extremes, there can be both nociceptor activation without pain or pain without receptor activation. |
