ABSTRACT
From a pathophysiologic point of view, it is important to differentiate nociceptor pain from neuropathic pain (nerve pain). Nociceptor pain is mediated by free sensoric nerve endings of the nociceptor cells that can be found throughout the body.7 A large amount of nociceptors are located in the skin, the skeleton musculature, the tendons, the joints, and the intestine.8 Depending on their location, we differentiate somatic and visceral or superficially and deeply located nociceptor pain. Visceral excitations are frequently projected to special skin regions, the so-called dermatoma. While nociceptor pain is generally described by the patient as being of a stinging, drilling, or dull character, neuropathic pain is decribed as burning, and suddenly appearing (e.g. in the case of nerve plexus infiltration).9 Therefore, already patient interrogation leads to a differentiation between the two pain entities. This is extremely important, because radionuclide therapy is useful in nociceptor pain patients but not for neuropathic pain.
