What sensation might a patient report when heat is applied to their skin?

When heat is applied to the skin, the patient is likely to report the sensation of warmth. This response occurs because heat stimulates thermoreceptors in the skin, which are responsible for detecting temperature changes. When the temperature of the skin increases due to the application of heat, the thermoreceptors send signals to the brain indicating that the skin is experiencing a rise in temperature. This physiological reaction manifests as a feeling of warmth.

In contrast, sensations such as pain, cold, and itching do not typically arise from the application of heat. Pain may occur if the heat is excessive or damaging, cold is associated with lower temperatures, and itching is usually related to irritation or allergic reactions rather than a response to heat. Therefore, the correct answer focuses on the expected and typical physiological reaction to the application of heat to the skin.