why cant we just remove the pain receptors from a person with chronic pain?
In: Biology
I sort of had something like this done. I have endometriosis and Adenomyosis and had a Presacral Neurectomy to help with the debilitating lower back pain I had. It’s the removal of the presacral plexus, the group of nerves that conducts the pain signal from the uterus to the brain. I still had really bad periods cramps but the back pain was gone. I’m not sure all pain causes can be focused in on a specific group o nerves though
Short long answer is that there isn’t really such a thing as a pain receptor. We have nerves that detect temperature, sharp dull light touch, vibration, stretch etc, but whether these sensations are interpreted as painful is heavily moderated by higher functions and the perception of threat.
For example, some people find chilli burn pleasurable, some can’t tolerate it at all. Same receptor type, although probably with varied sensitivity.
Some people enjoy things in the privacy of their own homes that would not be at all pleasurable as a POW.
Removing sensation from body parts increases risk of injury and infection. Diabetic ulcers on insensate feet are a major problem and often aren’t noticed until quite advanced.
Beyond that, nerve blocks and Rhizolysis are absolutely a thing and can be very effective, but long-term anaesthesia to large areas is very problematic.
Because it is important to feel pain sometimes. That let’s you know that something is wrong with your body.
I have multiple pain sites, but I’ve noticed that the “loudest” pain is the only one I typically feel. There must be a way to quiet pain.
As someone with migraines for my entire adult life, I’d love to kill all pain receptors from the neck up.
Actual ELY5: Pain is affected by your brain and what you think/feel/believe about the pain. Scary pain hurts worse because it’s scary, and ‘usual’ pain hurts less because it’s not scary
you need pain receptors to ensure you don’t accidentally kill yourself by not realizing you’re doing something or letting something happen that is dangerous to you. If you feel no pain, you can break a limb, have internal bleeding, bite your tongue off, and more fun things just by virtue of how the human body is set up.
You can selectively burn them out, in specific spots, but they grow back. Mine lasted about a year the first time, and the second time less than that. Didn’t do a third, but it was great while it lasted.
Because sometimes your central nervous system – brain and spinal cord – decides that things should feel painful for no good reason.
Like in my case, I experienced crippling pain for no identifiable reason over a long period.
I totally get where you’re coming from! I used to suffer from chronic pain, and let me tell you, it was like living in a constant storm cloud. But then, I stumbled upon this amazing treatment called cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). It completely changed my life! Instead of just numbing the pain, CBT taught me how to manage it effectively. Now, I can still feel pain, but it doesn’t control me anymore. It’s like learning to dance in the rain instead of just waiting for the storm to pass.
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