Visceral pain: a review of experimental studies

Abstract

This paper reviews clinical and basic science research reports and is directed toward an understanding of visceral pain, with emphasis on studies related to spinal processing. Four main types of visceral stimuli have been employed in experimental studies on visceral nocicpetion: (1) electrical, (2) mechanical, (3) ischemic, and (4) chemical. Studies of visceral pain are discussed in relation to the use and ‘adequacy’ of these stimuli and the responses produced (e.g., behavioral, pseudoaffective, neuronal, etc.). We propose a definition of an adequate noxious visceral stimulus and speculate on spinal mechanisms of visceral pain.