Schmerz ist nicht gleich Schmerz

Pain is an emotional state that is inextricably linked to the mental state and sociocultural background of the person experiencing the pain. The basis of our current understanding of the pain are the bio-psycho-social model and knowledge regarding complex physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms. Nociceptive pain is caused by a painful stimulus; upon activation of peripheral nociceptors, signals are sent to the brain for processing. It has a protective function because it leads to reflexes or behavior-based reactions to minimize damage to tissue. Neuropathic pain is—apart from a few exceptions—a chronic, non-malignant pain condition that is caused by diseases of the central and peripheral nervous system. In contrast to acute pain, the causes of chronic pain are usually not known and remain even when no tissue damage is present.