Which statement best describes C fiber mediated pain?

Which statement best describes C fiber mediated pain?

• A. Dull, aching pain with diffuse location.
• B. Sharp, well-localized pain.
• C. Fast conduction and immediate onset.
• D. Non-nociceptive input.

Answer: (C)

C fibers are unmyelinated and conduct impulses slowly, so the pain they convey is typically dull, aching, and diffuse in location, and it tends to linger after the initial stimulus. This slow, lingering quality contrasts with fast, sharp pain you’d associate with myelinated A-delta fibers, which produce a quick onset and a well-localized sensation. Non-nociceptive input is not describing pain signals at all, so it doesn’t fit C fiber–mediated nociception. Therefore, the description that best fits C fiber mediated pain is dull, aching pain with a diffuse location.

C fibers are unmyelinated and conduct impulses slowly, so the pain they convey is typically dull, aching, and diffuse in location, and it tends to linger after the initial stimulus. This slow, lingering quality contrasts with fast, sharp pain you’d associate with myelinated A-delta fibers, which produce a quick onset and a well-localized sensation. Non-nociceptive input is not describing pain signals at all, so it doesn’t fit C fiber–mediated nociception. Therefore, the description that best fits C fiber mediated pain is dull, aching pain with a diffuse location.