Can your body stop pain by itself

Pain is often something people fail to cope with. Some people have a very low threshold for pain and are unable to tolerate even a small amount of it. What if your body is capable of stopping the pain by itself? Let’s learn about this hidden power of our body.

What Is Endogenous Analgesia?

Endogenous analgesia refers to the ability of the body to generate pain-relieving factors by itself without any medical intervention.

• Endogenous = produced within the body

• Analgesia = absence or reduction of pain

This is the body’s way of switching off pain and preventing the perception of pain by the individual.

Neurochemicals that kill pain

1. Endorphins - They are natural morphines which bind to the opioid receptors in the brain and reduce pain.

2. Enkephalins - Act locally in the spinal cord and block pain transmission to the brain.

3. Dynorphins - Involved in long-term chronic pain. Even have a role in stress-induced analgesia.

4. Endocannabinoids - Similar to compounds in cannabis. Reduce pain and inflammation.

Various effects

Stress-Induced Analgesia

Extreme stress causes the pain pathway to be switched off. This could be seen in life-or-death situations where immediate action must be taken to save your life. This occurs due to an adrenaline surge and release of endorphins.

Runner’s High

Increased exercise and running may cause increased release of endorphins and endocannabinoids while decreasing pain threshold.

Placebo effect

The brain releases dopamine, endorphins, etc. Could be potentially used to treat Parkinson’s disease by dopamine-stimulating therapies.

How to Activate Endogenous Analgesia Naturally?

Yes, a natural painkiller effect could be achieved naturally by various methods including:

• Exercise

• Deep, slow breathing

• Meditation

• Laughter

• Cold exposure

• Acupuncture