Yes, most organs can sense pain, although the experience differs from the pain felt in skin or muscles. This is because organs contain pain receptors, also known as nociceptors. These receptors detect changes indicating potential damage, such as increased pressure.
How Organs Sense Pain: Visceral Pain
The pain originating from internal organs is called visceral pain. It's often described as dull, aching, squeezing, or cramping, unlike the sharp, localized pain felt in the skin (somatic pain). This difference in sensation stems from the varying density of nociceptors in different tissues. Organs generally have fewer pain receptors than the skin. https://www.verywellhealth.com/differences-in-feeling-somatic-vs-visceral-pain-2564645
- Lower Nociceptor Density: Organs have a lower density of nociceptors compared to skin and muscles. This explains why visceral pain can be less precisely localized than somatic pain. https://www.verywellhealth.com/differences-in-feeling-somatic-vs-visceral-pain-2564645
- Referred Pain: Visceral pain can be felt in areas far from the affected organ (referred pain) due to the convergence of nerve signals in the spinal cord. For example, heart attack pain might be felt in the left arm or jaw. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/visceral-pain
- Types of Nociceptors: The distribution of nociceptors varies among organs. Some organs primarily signal pain, while others have receptors with lower thresholds for other sensations. https://www.physio-pedia.com/Nociception
Exceptions: Brain and Lungs
There are exceptions. The brain itself lacks nociceptors; therefore, it does not directly feel pain. The lungs also have relatively few pain receptors, contributing to the often vague or referred nature of lung pain. https://www.reddit.com/r/askscience/comments/2ffz04/can_our_organs_feel_pain/ https://www.brainfacts.org/ask-an-expert/if-the-brain-cant-feel-pain-why-do-i-get-headaches
Conclusion
Most internal organs possess pain receptors and therefore can sense pain, though this pain is often different in character and location than pain from other tissues. You have pain receptors (nociceptors) throughout your body, including your visceral organs. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK539861/
