Patofisiologia da dor

Abstract

Pain can be defined as an uncomfortable sensorial and emotional experience, associated with real or potential tissue damage. Physiologic pain is a protective reflex that prevents tissue damage. If injury or tissue damage occurs, pathologic pain is recognized to provide healing conditions. Based in the origin of pathologic pain, a classification of nociceptive, including somatic and visceral pain, and neuropathic pain is recognized. Pain could also be classified as acute or chronic. Nociception is the phisiologic component of pain and includes de concepts of trasnduction, transmission and modulation of nociceptive stimuli. If nociceptive stimuli is determined, several neuroendocrine responses occur, and a hiperexcitability state of the periferic and central nervous system is already installed. This article reviews the pathophysiologic pathways and their applications to pain treatment.