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Hypoalgesia
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Contents
1 Chemical causes
1.1 Analgesics
1.2 Opioids
1.3 Exercise induced hypoalgesia
1.4 Fear induced hypoalgesia
2 Diseases
2.1 Hereditary neuropathies
2.2 Hypoalgesia and hypertension
3 See also
4 References
Chemical causes
Analgesics
Analgesics are a class of biochemicals that cause hypoalgesia. Analgesics can act on both the peripheral and
central nervous systems to decrease pain. Certain analgesics also work to decrease the source of the pain by
working to decrease swelling and inflammation, as in the case of NSAIDs.[1]
Opioids
Opioids refers to a specific group of analgesics - including morphine, codeine, and opium - that act on opioid
receptors, which are located mainly in the central nervous system.
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Endogenous opioids are types of opioids produced by the body specifically to modulate pain. They include
endorphins, enkephalins, dynorphins and endomorphins. These peptides are especially important for modulating
pain in response to the environment. These can be released in response to a number of things, including
increased blood pressure, pain and danger. It has been found that endogenous opioids are at least partially
responsible for phenomena like Runner's high, hypoalgesia in the fight-or-flight response, and even for the
analgesic effects of acupuncture therapy.[2] In all these cases, there is a certain level of signal processing that
occurs in the CNS which leads to the release of these chemicals.
Diseases
It has been demonstrated that many diseases can cause hypoalgesia. Some diseases, like CIPA, are hereditary
disorders where genes essential for the correct functioning of nociceptors no longer work. There are many
diseases like this, and they all fall under the category of hereditary sensory autonomic neuropathies.
Alternatively, some diseases affect other functions in your body, which can activate the pathways that cause
hypoalgesia. This effect happens in people with diabetes and other diseases associated with hypertension.
Hereditary neuropathies
Hereditary sensory and autonomic neuropathies (HSAN), e.g. CIPA, are hereditary disorders that are
characterized by malfunctioning or nonfunctioning pain receptors.[8] Most of these diseases are also associated
with decreased temperature sensation as well. In some cases these diseases are also associated with other
symptoms like mental retardation and diminished production of sweat and tears. Diseases like this can be very
dangerous for the patients, because they are not able to judge what hurts, and therefore when they should stop
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doing something. A child with the disease might bite their finger clean off before they realized that what they
were doing might harm them, or they might leave their hand on a hot stove without ever realizing it was on.
These examples support the theory that pain is essential for life, more specifically, survival.
See also
Hyperalgesia
Hypoalgesic effect of swearing
References
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Vane, J. (2003). "The mechanism of action of anti-inflammatory drugs." Int J Clin Pract Suppl(135): 2.
Yang, J., Y. Yang, et al. (2007). "Effect of oxytocin on acupuncture analgesia in the rat." Neuropeptides 41(5): 285-92.
Koltyn, K. F. and M. Umeda (2006). "Exercise, hypoalgesia and blood pressure." Sports Med 36(3): 207-14.
Koltyn, K. F. (2000). "Analgesia following exercise: a review." Sports Med 29(2): 85-98.
Rhudy, J. L., J. S. Grimes, et al. (2004). "Fear-induced hypoalgesia in humans: effects on low intensity thermal
stimulation and finger temperature." J Pain 5(8): 458-68.
J.M. Lichtman and M.S. Fanselow, Cats produce analgesia in rats on the tail-flick test: naltrexone sensitivity is
determined by the nociceptive test stimulus. Brain Res 533 (1990), pp. 9194.
H.S. Hagen and K.F. Green, Effects of time of testing, stress level and number of conditioning days on naloxone
sensitivity of conditioned stress-induced analgesia in rats. Behav Neurosci 102 (1988), pp. 906914.
Schalka, M. M., M. S. Correa, et al. (2006). "Congenital insensitivity-to-pain with anhidrosis (CIPA): a case report with
4-year follow-up." Oral Surg Oral Med Oral Pathol Oral Radiol Endod 101(6): 769-73.
Zamir, N., Shuber, E., 1980. Altered pain perception in hypertensive humans. Brain Research 201, 471474.
Edwards, L., C. Ring, et al. (2007). "Nociceptive flexion reflex thresholds and pain during rest and computer game play
in patients with hypertension and individuals at risk for hypertension." Biol Psychol 76(1-2): 72-82.
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