It takes some time to feel the effect of drugs on painful menstrual cramps, but once a hot water bottle or hot towel is placed on the stomach area, the cramps reduces. Whats the relationship between heat and the pain?
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Pain and heat receptors basically use the same communication line so heat blocks the “line” and pain isn’t able to get through to the brain.
Applying a source of heat, like a hot water bottle to an area with cramps widens the blood vessels, stimulates blood flow and relaxes the muscles which reduces painful cramps (which are pretty much just painful involuntary muscle contractions).
As well as the above, there is a thing that the brain can only process a limited number of sensations at a time. It’s why if you’ve got a sore muscle and you rub it, or the area above it, it feels better while you rub. The pressure/touch sensation takes the priority. In the cramps situation the heat +/- pressure depending on how your apply that heat it what your brain processes as the priority.
As pain is a signal that something is wrong acutely so that we protect the area (like a broken wrist and your body is saying don’t use it), it can be “over ridden” by more pressing matters. Such as you’ve sprained your ankle and it’s really sore so you limp along, but if you were suddenly in great danger you’d get an adrenaline surge and be able to run for your life. Or those stories of a parent lifting a car off of their child. A big limiting factor for lifting such heavy weights is pain to protect us from damaging muscles. Get rid of that of pain perception for a short time and you can do it. There is a cost of course and you may have done damage to yourself.
The theory on this is called “gate theory of pain”. It’s an interesting thing to have a look at
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