Thirsty people likely feel more pain
4 February 2006
by Richard
Conan-Davies
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Pain sensitivity is enhanced when people are thirsty according to Australian researchers from Howard Florey Institute. How the brain prioritises pain and thirst in order to survive - a mechanism that helps elite athletes to 'push through the pain barrier' has been investigated by using Positron Emission Tomography ( PET). Dr Michael Farrell and colleagues had 10 people participating in the study and were given saline injections to stimulate mild thirst and thumb pressure to induce mild pain. Although the level of thumb pressure remained constant throughout the tests, as people became thirstier, they felt more pain. Dr Farrell explained that "Depending on internal demands being placed on the body, the brain needs to decide which demand is more important to respond to in order to survive," |
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Original press release from Howard Florey Institute
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