Final answer:
Pain is detected by nociceptors, which are free nerve endings responding to damaging or potentially damaging stimuli. Capsaicin from hot peppers can activate these receptors, causing a sensation of heat and temporarily reducing pain sensitivity, which is why it is used in some pain-relief creams.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pain is a sensation mediated by specialized receptors called nociceptors. These receptors are designed to elicit a pain response upon detecting potentially damaging stimuli such as extreme heat, cold, or pressure.
Nociceptors are free nerve endings that activate when they encounter certain mechanical, chemical, or thermal stimuli that exceed normal thresholds. When tissues are stressed or damaged, they release chemicals that bind to receptor proteins within nociceptors, triggering a pain signal. An example of this is the sensation caused by capsaicin, the active component in chili peppers, which binds to a specific ion channel in nociceptors that also responds to high temperatures. This interaction not only produces a sensation similar to heat but also diminishes the nociceptor's sensitivity to other pain stimuli. As a result of this effect, capsaicin is sometimes used in topical analgesics to relieve pain.REPORT BUG
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________ is a sensation mediated by specialized receptors called nocicpetors.
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Final answer:
Pain is detected by nociceptors, which are free nerve endings responding to damaging or potentially damaging stimuli. Capsaicin from hot peppers can activate these receptors, causing a sensation of heat and temporarily reducing pain sensitivity, which is why it is used in some pain-relief creams.
Step-by-step explanation:
Pain is a sensation mediated by specialized receptors called nociceptors. These receptors are designed to elicit a pain response upon detecting potentially damaging stimuli such as extreme heat, cold, or pressure.
Nociceptors are free nerve endings that activate when they encounter certain mechanical, chemical, or thermal stimuli that exceed normal thresholds. When tissues are stressed or damaged, they release chemicals that bind to receptor proteins within nociceptors, triggering a pain signal. An example of this is the sensation caused by capsaicin, the active component in chili peppers, which binds to a specific ion channel in nociceptors that also responds to high temperatures. This interaction not only produces a sensation similar to heat but also diminishes the nociceptor's sensitivity to other pain stimuli. As a result of this effect, capsaicin is sometimes used in topical analgesics to relieve pain.