Therefore, when assessing a complaint of pain, it is critical to also investigate the appropriate mental and environmental factors. The differences are important for understanding the nature of the pain problem and especially for determining how to treat the pain. Nociceptors are the nerves which sense and respond to parts of the body which suffer from damage. They signal tissue irritation, impending injury, or actual injury. The pain is typically well localized, constant, and often with an aching or throbbing quality.
Visceral pain is the subtype of nociceptive pain that involves the internal organs.
It tends to be episodic and poorly localized. Nociceptive pain is usually time limited, meaning when the tissue damage heals, the pain typically resolves. Another characteristic of nociceptive pain is that it tends to respond well to treatment with opioids. Neuropathic pain is the result of an injury or malfunction in the peripheral or central nervous system. The pain is often triggered by an injury, but this injury may or may not involve actual damage to the nervous system.