Why does pain disappear immediately when you dip your burnt finger into cold water? Also, cold water helps when you eat spicy things, why?? Why does it make burning sensations disappear immediately?
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Our brains tend to focus on a single physical sensation at a time. When our nerves are overloaded with different sensory experiences, our brain reduces the “noise” and focuses on a single stimulus, like noise canceling earbuds but with touch.
The cold water is actually distracting you from pain that’s still there.
Cold numbs your nerves. When your nerves stop feeling, they stop feeling things like pain or heat too, giving you relief.
I was told not to run cold water over a burn, its what causes it to bubble up and causes more pain in the long run, any truth to this?
When you put ice or cold water on a burn, it causes the blood vessels to narrow. This reduces the blood flow to the area and helps to reduce swelling and pain.
On the subject of spicy food, it works by cooling your mouth. Capsaicin, the oil in chilies that makes them spicy, works by interfering with the nerves that sense temperature. That’s why your mouth feels like it’s burning or on fire—your nerves are reporting you skin is way too hot.
Here’s a good video about the science of spicy food:
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