Pain Science in Practice (Part 3): Peripheral Sensitization

In most cases, tissue injuries lead to inflammation and sensitization. From a neuroscience perspective, this is why one usually hurts when one is injured. Peripheral sensitization is an essential principle in pain science, and it is associated with hyperalgesia, inflammation, and clinical pain conditions, including acute injuries and rheumatological diseases. This editorial explains peripheral sensitization, neurogenic inflammation, and the axon reflex, as well as the role of second messengers and peptidergic C-fibers. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther 2022;52(6):303-306. doi:10.2519/jospt.2022.11202.