Question: why is it when you have alot of adrenilin that you dont feel pain

Rachel Harris answered on 15 Nov 2016:

The way the brain processes pain is quite complex and there’s a lot about the perception of pain that is still being researched. My research area isn’t on pain but I did study the neuroscience of pain at university.

Adrenaline is a hormone that has many effects on the body. It’s released as part of the ‘fight or flight’ response which is triggered in situations where there is a perceived threat. Adrenaline is released from the adrenal glands which sit on top of the kidneys. It increases heart rate and blood supply to muscles which gets the body ready to run away or even fight the threat.

Pain signals go from nerve cells in the skin and muscle in to the spinal cord and up to the brain. These signals can be increased or decreased by the brain – this means hormones, genetics and mood can change how you feel pain.

Adrenaline reduces the pain signals by ‘descending inhibition’. This means adrenaline causes parts of the brain to send signals to the spinal cord to stop pain signals coming up to the brain from the skin or muscle.

Drugs that keep the levels of noradrenaline (a neurotransmitter similar to adrenaline) high can be used to relieve pain in people that have long term nerve pain.