Pain Gate

Question 1

What is ascending pain gate?

Answer 1

Rapid pain reduction via spinal gating can occur if large low threshold A beta fibres are stimulated manually in the periphery. Faster. A beta fibres synapsing at dorsal horn substantia gelotanosa cells have an inhibitory effect in the nociceptive output through the spinal.gate. faster than C fibres.

Question 2

Factors that may affect the gate control mechanism?

Answer 2

1. Central sensitisation- A beta fibre input processed as pain
2. Nerve tissue damage- A beta fibre impairment/loss. Pain cannot travel to the spionothalamic tract to the thalamus

Question 3

In depth pain mechanism theory?

Answer 3

1. Pain signals can be interupted in the substantia gelitanosa of the spinal cord that acts as a ‘gate’.
2. Non-painful stimuli such as deep touch actuvate pacinian corpuscle located in the dermis of the skin, signals the dorsal column medial lemiscal pathway ascends ipsilaterally on dorsal coljm of spinal cord to medulla oblongata dessicated to medial lemiscus of brain stem
3. Pathway inhibits signals
4. DCML activates inhibitory neurotransmitters/neurons e.g enkephalin binds to opioid receptor in membrane of axon terminal closure of calcuim channels less excitatory neurotransmitters e.g substance p, glutamate. Less hypolarisation snd decrease in action potential, decreasing pain signals sent to the brain.