Key Takeaway:
Pain is an evolutionary mechanism designed to protect the human body from harm. However, recent discoveries reveal that pain can be controlled by harnessing the brain’s natural painkillers. Pain is not a physical sensation but is actively created by the nervous system, which sends distress signals to the brain when tissue damage is detected. The periaqueductal gray (PAG) region in the brain controls this ability, turning pain down or off when necessary. Enkephalins, natural pain-relieving chemicals produced in the brain and spinal cord, explain why some people can tolerate high levels of pain while others feel incapacitated by minor discomfort. Pain is also deeply psychological, with emotional states, distractions, and beliefs about pain significantly influencing how much it hurts. Chronic pain may be linked to dysfunction in the brain’s natural pain-relief system. To activate the brain’s natural painkillers, researchers suggest several ways to activate them at will: exercise, meditation and deep breathing, stress management, nutrition, positive emotions, and distraction techniques. Researchers are also developing new, non-addictive pain treatments, such as Jurnavx, a medication that targets pain at the source without the risks of addiction.
The human body is built to feel pain—an evolutionary mechanism designed to protect it from harm. But what if it were possible to override that built-in alarm system? Throughout history, there have been remarkable cases where pain seemed to simply switch off in moments of extreme stress or crisis. Soldiers on the battlefield, athletes in competition, and even ordinary people in moments of intense focus have reported injuries without feeling the expected agony.
This phenomenon has intrigued scientists for decades, but recent discoveries are shedding new light on how the brain processes pain and, more importantly, how it can be controlled. Could there be a way to harness the brain’s own natural painkillers to reduce suffering—without the need for medication?
The Science of Pain: A Warning System Gone Wrong
Pain is not something that simply happens to us—it’s something the brain actively creates. The sensation is not detected in the skin, muscles, or bones themselves, but rather processed by the nervous system, which sends distress signals to the brain when tissue damage is detected.
These distress signals are carried by specialized nerve cells called nociceptors, which detect harmful stimuli—whether it’s a sharp blade, extreme temperatures, or intense pressure. Their job is to ensure quick action: pull your hand away from a flame, or stop moving a broken limb to prevent further damage.
Once triggered, the nociceptors send electrical signals up through the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex, the highest processing center in the brain. It’s here that pain becomes conscious—where the brain interprets the distress signals and turns them into the sensation of burning, stabbing, or aching that we recognize as pain.
But pain is a subjective experience. Some people feel it more intensely than others. Some barely feel it at all. In fact, there are rare cases of people born with a condition called congenital analgesia, who lack the ability to feel pain altogether. While this might sound like a superpower, it’s actually quite dangerous—these individuals often sustain severe injuries without realizing it, leading to long-term damage.
Pain is essential for survival, but what if we could control it?
How the Brain Switches Pain On and Off
While pain is the brain’s way of alerting us to danger, it also has a built-in system to suppress pain when necessary. This ability is controlled by a small but powerful region of the brain known as the periaqueductal gray (PAG), located deep in the midbrain.
The PAG acts like a volume dial for pain, turning it down—or even off—when circumstances require. This can happen in extreme situations, such as during battle or a high-adrenaline event, when feeling pain could be a disadvantage. Soldiers have reported running across war zones with serious injuries, unaware of their wounds until later. Similarly, athletes have continued playing through broken bones, only realizing their condition after the game has ended.
This remarkable ability is thanks to enkephalins, natural pain-relieving chemicals produced in the brain and spinal cord. These compounds function similarly to opioid painkillers like morphine, binding to pain receptors and blocking the transmission of distress signals.
Enkephalins explain why some people can tolerate high levels of pain while others feel incapacitated by minor discomfort. They also suggest that pain isn’t just about physical injury—emotions, stress, and focus can shape our perception of pain, even allowing us to suppress it entirely.
The Psychology of Pain: Mind Over Matter
Pain is not just a physical process—it’s also deeply psychological. Studies have shown that emotional states, distractions, and even beliefs about pain can significantly influence how much it hurts.
Ever burned a finger on a hot pan, only to realize a moment later that the stove was off? The sudden relief you feel is because the pain wasn’t caused by an actual burn—it was triggered by the expectation of injury. Similarly, studies on placebo painkillers have found that patients often report significant pain relief after taking sugar pills, simply because they believe they’ve taken real medication.
The brain’s pain-processing system is flexible, meaning that what we think and feel can actually change how much pain we experience. This is why distraction techniques—such as listening to music, engaging in conversation, or even watching a funny video—can help reduce discomfort during medical procedures.
It’s also why chronic pain, which lasts beyond normal healing time, can be so difficult to treat. In these cases, the brain essentially “remembers” pain, keeping distress signals active even when no real injury remains. Researchers now believe that chronic pain may be linked to dysfunction in the brain’s natural pain-relief system, where the PAG fails to regulate distress signals effectively.
Hacking the Brain’s Natural Painkillers
So, if the brain already has built-in pain relief mechanisms, how can we activate them at will? Research suggests several ways to boost enkephalin production and take control of pain—without relying on medication.
- Exercise: Physical activity triggers the release of enkephalins and endorphins, creating a natural pain-killing effect. This is why prescribed movement therapies can be more effective for chronic pain relief than over-the-counter medication.
- Meditation and Deep Breathing: Studies have shown that mindfulness meditation can significantly reduce pain by altering the brain’s response to distress signals. Deep breathing activates the parasympathetic nervous system, which calms the body and suppresses pain perception.
- Stress Management: Psychological stress has been found to increase pain sensitivity, while relaxation techniques like yoga or spending time in nature can enhance the brain’s ability to regulate pain.
- Nutrition: Certain foods, such as dark chocolate, fatty fish, and turmeric, contain compounds that promote natural pain relief by supporting healthy brain function and reducing inflammation.
- Positive Emotions: Laughter, love, and social connection all stimulate the release of natural painkillers. This is why people often experience pain relief when they are in the company of loved ones or engaging in joyful activities.
- Distraction Techniques: Focusing on a task, engaging in deep conversation, or watching something entertaining can trick the brain into reducing pain signals.
The Future of Pain Management
While activating the brain’s natural painkillers is a promising approach, researchers continue to develop new, non-addictive pain treatments to replace traditional opioids.
One such breakthrough is Journavx, a recently approved medication that targets pain at the source—blocking distress signals before they even reach the brain. This could be a game-changer for people suffering from acute and chronic pain, offering relief without the risks of addiction.
By understanding how pain works—and how the brain can suppress it—we are moving closer to a world where pain is no longer an unavoidable burden. Instead of simply enduring discomfort, we can learn to take control of pain, activating our brain’s natural healing systems to minimize suffering and enhance well-being.
It turns out that our bodies already have the tools to silence pain—we just need to learn how to use them.
