Home › Cell Biology › Determining heat and mechanical pain threshold in inflamed skin of human subjects
Cell Biology JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

Determining heat and mechanical pain threshold in inflamed skin of human subjects

DOI: 10.3791/1092-v
What you'll learn
  • ✓ Perform heat pain threshold testing using quantitative sensory testing equipment
  • ✓ Conduct mechanical pain threshold assessment with standardized pressure probes
  • ✓ Interpret nociceptive responses in C-fiber and A-delta fiber populations
  • ✓ Apply pain testing protocols to inflamed human skin models
Protocol

Biopharma Insights Algorithms assessing heat and mechanical pain thresholds in experimentally inflamed skin of human study subjects are shown. The two pain testing paradigms independently examine nociceptive processing by the two major peripheral nerve fiber populations transmitting pain, i.e., non-myelinated C fibers and small myelinated A-delta fibers.

Difficulty
intermediate
Total time
~45 min to 1 hour per subject (including preparation, training, and both testing modalities)

Steps

1
Introduce nociceptive pain assessment methodology

Review the rationale for examining heat and mechanical pain thresholds in experimentally inflamed skin, focusing on the distinct peripheral nerve fiber populations (C fibers and A-delta fibers) involved in pain transmission.

▶ 01:05
2
Set up thermal sensory analyzer equipment

Configure the TSA II thermal testing device for heat pain threshold measurement on inflamed skin sites.

▶ 02:06
3
Prepare and train human study subjects

Acclimate subjects to the testing environment, explain procedures, and conduct practice trials to familiarize them with pain threshold reporting before experimental measurements.

▶ 03:02
4
Determine heat pain threshold values

Execute thermal ramp testing to identify the temperature at which subjects perceive pain onset, isolating C-fiber nociceptive signaling.

▶ 08:08
5
Administer mechanical pain threshold testing

Apply calibrated punctuated pressure probes to inflamed skin to assess mechanical pain sensitivity mediated by A-delta fibers.

▶ 10:04
6
Quantify mechanical pain threshold responses

Record pressure force values at which subjects report pain onset during mechanical stimulation testing.

▶ 11:01
💬 Comments coming soon