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Sensitization of Muscular and Articular Nociceptors

  • Reference work entry
Encyclopedia of Pain

  • 35 Accesses

Synonyms

Peripheral sensitization in muscle and joint

Definition

In intact tissue, nociceptors have no resting activity and exhibit a high threshold to mechanical stimuli. In addition, a nociceptor is supposed to encode the intensity of stimuli within the noxious range. During pathological processes in muscle and joint, nociceptive primary afferent neurons supplying these tissues are rendered active and hyperexcitable to mechanical stimuli. This process of sensitization of deep tissue afferents contributes to the dysesthesia and mechanical allodynia/hyperalgesia observed after various forms of deep tissue injury.

Characteristics

Ongoing Pain/Dysesthesias and Mechanical Allodynia/Hyperalgesia During Diseases or Overuse of Muscle and Joint

A number of different conditions can cause painful sensations from muscle: e.g., overuse during strenuous exercise, trauma (blow to a muscle or muscle tear), tonic or ischemic contractions, myofascial trigger points, and acute myositis. All these...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiology - Neurophysiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University of Jena, Teichgraben 8, 07743, Jena, Germany

    Hans-Georg Schaible

  2. Neuroanatomy, Heidelberg University, Medical Faculty Mannheim, CBTM, Ludwig-Krehl-Str. 13-17, Mannheim, Germany

    Siegfried Mense

Authors
  1. Hans-Georg Schaible
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  2. Siegfried Mense
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hans-Georg Schaible .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology, Center for Pain Research, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Gerald F. Gebhart

  2. Physiologisches Institut der, Universität Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany

    Robert F. Schmidt

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Schaible, HG., Mense, S. (2013). Sensitization of Muscular and Articular Nociceptors. In: Gebhart, G.F., Schmidt, R.F. (eds) Encyclopedia of Pain. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-28753-4_3935

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