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

For the most part, no permanent damage of any kind. It’s pain, that is to say, the pain receptor is stimulated and your brain is fooled. And that very foolery is why some people vomit. The brain triggers it because it believes in the severe pain and to get rid of the trigger, it throws up.