Nociceptors are sensory nerve endings that respond to stimuli that damage or threaten to damage tissue, such as intense heat, cold, pressure or chemicals. They are free nerve endings carried by thin A-delta and C fibres.
| Location | Skin, muscles, joints, bones, viscera and most tissues except brain tissue |
|---|---|
| Parts |
|
| Nerve Supply | Small myelinated (A-delta) and unmyelinated (C) sensory fibres in peripheral nerves |
| Blood Supply | Local tissue capillaries |
Warn of tissue damage and trigger protective reflexes and behaviour.
Inflammation sensitises nociceptors so that normally harmless touch hurts, which is why injured areas are tender. Local anaesthetics block them, and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs reduce their sensitisation. People who lack them from birth injure themselves without noticing.
Lowered nociceptor threshold after injury causing tenderness and pain to light touch.
Rare inherited loss of pain sensation leading to repeated unnoticed injuries.
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