Four Types of Skin Sensations
Pressure, warmth, pain, cold
Kinesthesis
The sense of position and movement of the body parts
Vestibular Sense
The sense that monitors the position and movement of the head
Gate-Control Theory
The spinal cord contains a neurological gate , and when tissue is injured, the small nerve fibers (which conduct pain signals) activate and open the gate, and pain is felt
Nociceptors
sensory receptors that detect hurtful temperatures, pressure, or chemicals
Pain and distraction
Distraction can deter pain because brain-to-spinal-cord mesages can also close "pain gates", along with the assistance of natural painkillers (endorphins)
Pain and memory
People often edit their memories of pain; they often only remember the peak amount of pain, and the pain they felt at the end of the duration
Pain and Social Influences
We tend to perceive more pain when others seem to be in pain
Controlling Pain
Pain is both physical and psychological; often, people feel less pain when given a placebo because they believe that they will get better
Controlling Pain
Pain can be reduced if people are distracted by pleasant images