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pain

Written by
Marcia L. Meldrum
Researcher, Department of History, University of California, Los Angeles; Co-Director, John C. Liebeskind History of Pain Collection, Louise M. Darling Biomedical Library, Geffen School of Medicine, University...
Marcia L. Meldrum
Fact-checked by
Britannica Editors
Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....
Britannica Editors
Last updated
•History

In spite of its subjective nature, most pain is associated with tissue damage and has a physiological basis. Not all tissues, however, are sensitive to the same type of injury. For example, although skin is sensitive to burning and cutting, the visceral organs can be cut without generating pain. Overdistension or chemical irritation of the visceral surface, however, will induce pain. Some tissues do not give rise to pain, no matter how they are...

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