Which statement correctly contrasts visceral and parietal pain?

• A. Visceral pain is well localized; parietal pain is diffuse
• B. Parietal pain originates from organs; visceral pain is from the skin
• C. Visceral pain originates from organs and is poorly localized; parietal pain is localized
• D. Both pains originate from bone tissue

Answer: (C)

Visceral pain comes from internal organs and is usually not well localized, often felt as a dull, cramping or pressure sensation that can be referred to areas away from the actual source. Parietal pain comes from the lining of the abdomen or the body wall and is sharp, precise, and well localized. The statement that visceral pain originates from organs and is poorly localized, while parietal pain is localized, captures this difference. In practice, many abdominal problems start with diffuse visceral pain and may later localize when the parietal peritoneum is irritated, such as in appendicitis. The other descriptions mix up where the pain comes from or how it is felt (for example, skin or bone origin, or visceral pain being well localized), which doesn’t fit how these types of pain behave.