Eli5 why rubbing my shin after a blunt force trauma (I kicked against the table) reduces the pain sensation significantly?
In: 79
Holy shit a question that is specifically applicable to me! I’m a pain management physician.
So someone below said the “gate control theory of pain” which is basically correct when broken down into laymens terms.
To go into a little bit more detail, there are several different types of sensory nerves. There are nerves that sense pain, but also vibration, temperature, touch, etc…
Nerves that sense PAIN causes spinal cord receptors to “open” their gates allowing tons of information to go up the spinal cord to the brain.
In contrast, Nerves that sense VIBRATION, TEMPERATURE, TOUCH, etc…typically “close” these gates and INHIBIT information from traveling up the spinal cord to the brain.
This is why after hitting your shin, nerves that sense pain are firing to the spinal cord, and then when you rub your shin, nerves that sense touch and vibration, are trying to inhibit the nerves that sense pain from firing to the spinal cord.
Latest Answers