why do you feel pain if you put salt in a wound?

Question

I never tried it out, but I guess it works… Why else would people say that.

So what causes the pain?

In: 9

Answer 1

Nerves work because sodium and potassium ions (atoms with either extra or missing electrons) will trade electrons with each other. The nerve’s long tendrils (called axons) hold potassium ions. The nucleus has sodium ions. Nerves hold onto the sodium ions until stimulated. When stimulated, the nerve releases some sodium to the base of the axon which gives an electron to the potassium ion, which passes it to the next one and so on, triggering a chain reaction that carries the impulse along the axon to the next neuron.

Putting salt next to pain receptor nerves triggers them to fire, which you perceive as pain.