Biology of mucosal pain

Pain is experienced when injury to mucosal tissues occurs. Although the neurobiology of mucosal pain has not been fully elucidated, research has demonstrated that the oral mucosa contains primary afferent nociceptors that respond to thermal, mechanical, and chemical stimuli. Inflammation occurs during the initial phase of mucosal injury caused by stomatotoxic chemotherapy or radiation therapy. This article reviews the mechanisms that underlie acute pain in inflamed cutaneous tissue and summarizes the major mediators that activate and sensitize primary afferent nociceptors. Recommendations for future research to elucidate the neurobiology of mucosal pain throughout the gastrointestinal tract are presented.