The nurse is explaining the pain response process to a patient experiencing chronic pain. In which order should the nurse identify the steps in the neural pain pathway?

Question

Choice 1. In the thalamus and cerebral cortex, the pain impulse becomes pain when the sensation reaches conscious levels and is perceived and evaluated by the person experiencing the sensation.
Choice 2. Dorsal horn synapses relay impulses up the spinal cord. Spinal neurons transmit the impulses via axons that cross over to the spinothalamic tract.
Choice 3. The impulses ascend the spinothalamic tracts and pass through the medulla and midbrain to the thalamus.
Choice 4. A noxious stimulus is perceived by cutaneous nociceptors and then transmitted through A-delta (A?) and even smaller C nerve fibers to the spinal cord dorsal horn.

Answer 1

Correct Answer: 4,2,3,1
The neural pain pathway physiology follows this order: A noxious stimulus is perceived by cutaneous nociceptors and then transmitted through A-delta (A?) and even smaller C nerve fibers to the spinal cord dorsal horn. Dorsal horn synapses relay impulses up the spinal cord. Spinal neurons transmit the impulses via axons that cross over to the spinothalamic tract. The impulses ascend the spinothalamic tracts and pass through the medulla and midbrain to the thalamus. In the thalamus and cerebral cortex, the pain impulse becomes pain when the sensation reaches conscious levels and is perceived and evaluated by the person experiencing the sensation.