IMPROVEMENT IN CUTANEOUS SENSIBILITY ASSOCIATED WITH RELIEF OF PAIN

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Abstract
When the state of pain is removed, perception of stimulation may improve even if a large number of peripheral nerve fibers from the part are nonfunctional. Therefore, an association exists between a diminution in actual sensibility and a subjective improvement in perception. A typical case exemplifying this principle is presented first. The second case shows how blocking a peripheral nerve on two occasions resulted in lasting improvement in sensibility. Four cases are than presented in which intrathecal injections of phenol or glycerol relieved pain and sensation improved. Finally, in experiments on normal subjects it was shown that when occluding the circulation to a limb very light stimuli are more clearly felt just before nerve conduction fails. There may be convergence of the two groups of impulses so that those sub-serving the sensation of pain may impair the perception of peripheral stimulation.

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