Rate of Tissue Damage as a Stimulus for Pain The average person begins to perceive pain when the skin is heated above 45 °C, as shown in
Figure 48-1. This is alsothe temperature at which the tissues begin to be damagedby heat; indeed, the
tissues are eventually destroyed if the temperature remains above this level indefinitely. Therefore, it is
immediately apparent that pain resultingfrom heat is closely correlated with the rate at whichdamage to the tissues is occurring and not with the total damagethat has already occurred.
