MistressDREAD
Posts: 2943
Joined: 1/1/2004
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Pain, Itself, Elicits Pain Relief,
And Does So Through "Reward" Pathway.
A little background information for you.
Researchers have long known that the
body can activate its own form of pain
relief in response to painful stimuli.
the investigators determined that,
at its maximum, the pain relief was
as potent as a high dose of morphine.
While various individual structures
in the brain have been known to
produce analgesia, or pain relief,
when electrically stimulated or
exposed to pain, the * high * inposed
by the natural chemicals of the body
is what the body itself craves.
The finding provides the first
physiological evidence that
pain itself elicits analgesia.
It also provides a surprising
twist on the perceived workings
of the neural circuitry associated
with gratification,, hence the bodys
natural lust for more of the same
feelings at higher intensitys.
The reward pathway is a neural
network in the middle of the
brain that prompts good
feelings in response to certain
behaviors, such as relieving
hunger, quenching thirst or
having sex, or what is called
good pain, and it thereby
reinforces these evolutionarily
important drives. However,
the circuit also responds to
pain in general as a protective
responce. researchers
determined that the reward
pathway activates pain relief
through the release of both
opioids, a morphine-like drug
produced by the body, and
dopamine, a chemical messenger
whose effects can be mimicked
by amphetamine which gets the
adrenilyn flowing and is in its self
a enjoyable experiance. And
beleive it or not Drs. and scientists
have meds that are prescribed
for clients whom seek blocking
of such. and do not desire to be
a part of Our little lifestyle.
Under other conditions,
it's possible that a painful
stimulus, by activating the
nucleus accumbens, might
itself be experienced as
rewarding, as appears to
occur in self-injurious behaviors.
Interestingly, treatment for
this class of disorders,
characterized by pursuit of
painful experiences often for
apparent thrill-seeking value,
includes administration of naloxone,
a drug that blocks the effects
of opioids in this reward circuit.
But I say enjoy your bodys actions
to the reactions and welcome to
the lifestyle of Alternates! JMO
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