Click on these examples of pain stimuli to see how they are transduced.
Bee sting
Heat
Mechanical pain
Intense pressure
Bee sting
A bee sting will stimulate A-fibre nociceptors, which are responsible for pain which is pricking or sharp in nature. They respond to heat, mechanical and chemical stimuli and are therefore polymodal.
Heat is detected by at least two types of nociceptors – C-fibre mechano-heat nociceptors, which respond to heat and mechanical stimuli, and A-fibre nociceptors.
Mechanical pain is detected by at least two types of nociceptors – C-fibre mechano-heat nociceptors, which respond to heat and mechanical stimuli, and A–fibre nociceptors.
Intense mechanical pressure can also stimulate mechanically insensitive afferents, sometimes referred to as 'sleeping afferents', but only in the presence of injury or inflammation.
