superficial somatic pain

(noun)

Pain initiated by activation of nociceptors in the skin or other superficial tissue; it is sharp, well-defined, and clearly located. Examples of injuries that produce superficial somatic pain include minor wounds and minor (first degree) burns.

Related Terms

Examples of superficial somatic pain in the following topics:

  • Localization of Pain

    • Localization of pain is determined by whether the pain is superficial somatic, visceral, or deep somatic.
    • Nociceptive pain may also be divided into visceral, deep somatic, and superficial somatic pain.
    • Visceral pain is diffuse, difficult to locate, and often referred to a distant, usually superficial, structure.
    • Superficial pain is initiated by activation of nociceptors in the skin or other superficial tissue, and is sharp, well-defined, and clearly located.
    • Examples of injuries that produce superficial somatic pain include minor wounds and minor (first degree) burns.

  • Pain Sensation

    • Nociceptive pain can be divided into visceral, deep somatic and superficial somatic pain.
    • Visceral pain is diffuse, difficult to locate, and often referred to a distant, usually superficial, structure.
    • Deep somatic pain is initiated by stimulation of nociceptors in ligaments, tendons, bones, blood vessels, fasciae and muscles, and is a dull, aching, poorly localized pain.
    • Superficial pain is initiated by the activation of nociceptors in the skin or other superficial tissue, and is sharp, well-defined, and clearly located.
    • Examples of injuries that produce superficial somatic pain include minor wounds and minor (first degree) burns.

  • Autonomic Reflexes

    • In these cases, the body will interpret the afferent pain stimulus as somatic.
    • While the unconscious reflex arcs are normally undetectable, in certain instances they may send pain sensations to the CNS, masked as referred pain.
    • If the peritoneal cavity becomes inflamed or if the bowel is suddenly distended, the body will interpret the afferent pain stimulus as somatic in origin.
    • This pain is usually non-localized.
    • This schematic (but not anatomically correct) depiction of a typical spinal nerve indicates (1) somatic efferent fibers, (2) somatic afferent fibers, (3 to 5) sympathetic efferent fibers, and (6 and 7) sympathetic afferent fibers.

  • Pons

    • The alar plate produces sensory neuroblasts, which will give rise to the solitary nucleus and its special visceral afferent column, the cochlear and vestibular nuclei (which form the special somatic afferent fibers of the vestibulocochlear nerve), the spinal and principal trigeminal nerve nuclei (which form the general somatic afferent column of the trigeminal nerve), and the pontine nuclei, which is involved in motor activity.
    • Basal plate neuroblasts give rise to the abducens nucleus (forms the general somatic efferent fibers), the facial and motor trigeminal nuclei (form the special visceral efferent column), and the superior salivatory nucleus, which forms the general visceral efferent fibers of the facial nerve.
    • The functions of the four nerves of the pons include sensory roles in hearing, equilibrium, taste, and facial sensations such as touch and pain.

  • Varicose Veins

    • Varicose veins are most often found in the superficial veins of the legs, which are subject to high pressure when standing.
    • In addition to cosmetic concerns, varicose veins are often painful, especially when standing or walking .
    • Because most of the blood in the legs is returned by the deep veins, the superficial veins, which return only about 10 per cent of the total blood of the legs, can usually be removed without serious harm.

  • Injuries to the Phrenic Nerves

    • Pain arising from structures served by the phrenic nerve is often "referred" to other somatic regions served by spinal nerves C3-C5.
    • For example, a subphrenic abscess beneath the right diaphragm might cause a patient to feel pain in the right shoulder (Kehr's sign).

  • What is Skin?

    • In order from most superficial to deepest they are the epidermis, dermis, and subcutaneous tissue.
    • It is the most superficial layer of skin, the layer you see with your eyes when you look at the skin anywhere on your body. 
    • In order from most superficial to deepest, they are the:
    • These signals include touch, temperature, pressure, pain, and itching.

  • Somatic Sensory Pathways

    • In the case of touch and certain types of pain, the third neuron has its cell body in the ventral posterior nucleus of the thalamus and ends in the postcentral gyrus of the parietal lobe.
    • In the periphery, the somatosensory system detects various stimuli by sensory receptors, such as by mechanoreceptors for tactile sensation and nociceptors for pain sensation.
    • The sensory information (touch, pain, temperature, etc.,) is then conveyed to the central nervous system by afferent neurons, of which there are a number of different types with varying size, structure, and properties.
    • For example, slow, thin, unmyelinated neurons conduct pain whereas faster, thicker, myelinated neurons conduct casual touch.

  • Intercostal Nerves

    • The intercostal nerves are part of the somatic nervous system and arise from anterior divisions (rami anteriores, ventral divisions) of the thoracic spinal nerves T1 to T11.
    • Unlike the nerves from the autonomic nervous system that innervate the visceral pleura of the thoracic cavity, the intercostal nerves arise from the somatic nervous system.
    • This explains why damage to the internal wall of the thoracic cavity can be felt as a sharp pain localized in the injured region.

  • Autonomic Plexuses

    • The nerves in the each plexus are close to each other, as in the plexuses of the somatic nervous system, but typically do not interact or synpase together.
    • The superficial part of the cardiac plexus lies beneath the arch of the aorta, in front of the right pulmonary artery.