Can pain be felt without a central nervous system and a brain?

The sensation of pain as we understand it, requires the presence of a nervous system. By this I mean the hurt that one feels due to noxious stimuli needs to be interpreted by a processing system on transmission of the impulse. read more

It is unlikely that they do so in the way we do. They certainly have avoidance mechanisms in place to keep away from noxious agents and sensory mechanisms to do so well, but they do not seem to have the processing system in place to feel pain like higher organisms. read more

Pain is more than just cause and effect: it is affected by everything else that is going on in the nervous system. Your mood, your past experiences, and your expectations can all change the way pain is interpreted at any given time. read more

For example, bedclothes touching the affected area could feel painful, and a pin prick could feel excessively sharp. Neuropathic pain can be caused by various processes. Physical damage to nerves, causing abnormal signalling. Failure of the spinal cord or brain to dampen down the pain. ‘Wind-up’. read more