Why Do Canker Sores Hurt?
sensation since the blood flow to the area is temporarily increased to facilitate the movement of cells into the area. This contributes to the heat given off by inflamed areas. If the nerve endings are already sensitive, the feeling of being hurt can only increase. Nerve endings in the tissues send signals to the brain about sensory input. The brain then processes that information into knowledge of what is occurring. Pain is an indicator of danger, in this case a danger of tissue damage. There is a branched structure of nerves leading from all areas of the body to the cranial nerves, which feed directly into the brain for a response. The trigeminal nerve is the cranial nerve serving the mouth, but depending on the location of the canker sore, multiple nerve endings may be sending impulses to the brain through other cranial nerves, leading to a more severe feeling of pain. Alleviating the paint consists of either numbing the nerve endings or speeding the healing process. Over the counte
