If spicy is not a taste, but pain: Does it do actual damage?

Question

Spicy is perceived by the same receptors as the feelings hot and/or pain. But is this just some “trickery” of the receptors or does spicy food do actual damage? And if it doesn’t do actual damage: Why do people sometimes still throw up because of it (if it was too much)?

In: 212

Answer 1

Spicy food basically just tricks your brain into thinking you’re dealing with something dangerous, it’s not doing real permanent damage. The vomit response is to pain, not damage, which is why spicy food can cause that sort of reaction.

That said, capsaicin *is* basically a chemical irritant; it can do real damage if you get it in your eyes or lungs.