What is pain?

Pain is an uncomfortable and unpleasant sensation - and emotional experience - that occurs when tissues in the body are damaged.

Pain is felt when particular nerves within the nervous system are stimulated by pressure such as that caused by:

• A tumour
• external things such as extreme heat or cold
• damage to surrounding tissue.

Your nervous system is made up of your brain, spinal cord, and a network of nerves that thread throughout your body. The brain is the control centre for your body.

Your brain uses the information it receives from nerves to coordinate your actions and reactions.

When a nerve is stimulated - by heat, cold, touch, or sound vibrations - it sends a message to your brain and you feel a sensation. Messages can also be sent in the opposite direction from your brain to any part of your body.