The sensation of pain partly acts as a self preservation method (i.e heat, sharpness = potential damage to the body) is it possible for the pain response to be triggered by something non damaging or vice versa?

Question

The sensation of pain partly acts as a self preservation method (i.e heat, sharpness = potential damage to the body) is it possible for the pain response to be triggered by something non damaging or vice versa?

In: Biology

Answer 1

Want to trigger the pain response without actually harming yourself?

Eat a spicy pepper. The capsaicin in hot peppers is just similar enough to certain neurotransmitters that they trigger the sensors for heat and pain in the nerves of your mouth and tongue.

Interestingly, birds lack this reaction, so they would just taste the fruitiness of the peppers, allowing them to swallow the seeds and spread them later when they poop.