What is pain?

    Written by:
    Last Updated: May 16, 2025

    Pain is an unpleasant signal from the nervous system that indicates potential issues; it is characterized by sensations such as prick, sting, burn, or ache and can vary in intensity and duration. The International Association for the Study of Pain defines it as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience related to actual or potential tissue damage.

    Pain is a signal from the nervous system that something may be wrong and it can be a symptom of many conditions. It is an unpleasant feeling, such as a prick, sting, burn, or ache. Pain can be sharp or dull, and it may be temporary, intermittent, or constant.[1]

    A revised definition of pain from the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) is as follows: “an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with, or resembling that associated with, actual or potential tissue damage.”[2]

    What is pain? - Examine