Ma'anar ƙamus na kalmar "shafin jijiya" yana nufin siginar lantarki da sinadarai masu watsa bayanai a cikin tsarin juyayi. Lokacin da aka haifar da motsin jijiya, siginar lantarki, wanda ake kira yuwuwar aiki, yana tafiya ƙasa da tsayin neuron kuma yana haifar da sakin neurotransmitters, waɗanda ke ɗaukar siginar ta hanyar synapse zuwa neuron na gaba ko zuwa tsoka ko gland. Matsalolin jijiyoyi suna da alhakin watsa bayanan azanci, daidaita motsin motsi, da daidaita ayyukan jiki daban-daban.