Posted on 04/20/2021 5:54:50 PM PDT by RC one
You’ve heard of people “drinking away their pain,” but a new study has scientifically proven that alcohol is actually an effective painkiller.
University of Greenwich’s Trevor Thompson led the review study that looked at 18 different experiments which tested the reactions of more than 400 healthy people. Their reactions were measured when exposed to controlled pain (such as heat, cold and pressure) both without alcohol and under the influence of alcohol.
Thompson concluded that there is “robust evidence that alcohol is an effective painkiller.”
“Although the finding that alcohol results in reduced pain might seem obvious to many people, results from individual studies have not actually been that consistent,” Thompson wrote in an email.
His team systematically evaluated the different results in previous studies and were able to “reliably conclude” that alcohol is an analgesic. They were also able estimate the amount of pain relief a certain dosage of alcohol provides.
For example, they found that around two pints of beer or two medium-sized glasses of wine resulted in a 24 per cent drop in pain ratings. And the higher the blood-alcohol level, the greater the pain relief (up to a blood-alcohol level of .11).
It’s still a mystery as to why alcohol produces these painkilling effects, although Thompson has a couple of ideas.
“Some have theorised that alcohol may work indirectly by reducing anxiety, which is likely to be linked to pain,” he said. “Others have suggested that the transmission of ‘pain signals’ is inhibited by the changing of activity NMDA receptors in the spinal cord.”
NMDA receptors are a protein found in nerve cells.
Researchers think that these results may shed some light on alcohol dependency for those with chronic pain.
He added that because alcohol does provide significant pain relief, it offers a “reward,” which may encourage pain sufferers to turn to the bottle since it is generally cheaper and more accessible than prescription medications.
He hopes that in the future, drug producers may be able to isolate specific compounds found in alcohol that provide the analgesic effects, without the harmful side effects of alcohol.
“The amount of alcohol consumption needed to provide any sort of sustained, long-term pain relief could lead to a range of serious health problems, and even increase the likelihood of developing a longterm persistent pain condition,” he said. “We hope than an increased awareness of this might lead to greater promotion of alternative, less harmful pain management strategies for those using alcohol as self-medication for pain.”
I think it would be helpful if we could find out the exact mechanism by which it dulls pain stimuli and put it into a pill that doesn’t damage your liver and doesn’t make you intoxicated. The analgesic effect is pretty incredible actually. Our brightest shientists should be all over this.
In the American Civil War it was common to give several shots of brandy or whiskey to a wounded soldier before the amputation.
“Heartache Medication” ...
Thanks I wasn’t aware of this one.
Yeah it works, but waking up at 4am hungover as hell with a broken ankle trying to hobble into the emergency room the next morning, sucks .
Play a country song backwards. You get the girl back, the dog back, and your truck back.
So sorry you’re in such physical pain.
I overheard the big boys at the pool hall say a person can make their own. Just sayin'.
It seems to work for backaches too.
I am not sure that enough actual study has been conducted to support the conclusion.
They obviously need a double blind study with thousands of elderly Freepers.
Where do we sign up?
Thank you. It sucks. I have spent the past 15 years shooting people up with narcotic pain medication and now I find myself having this debilitating pain and, despite having three doctors, all I can get is tylenol and motrin. I wouldn’t want to be a junkie anyways and I don’t really want to have to drink away my pain either but the alcohol seems extremely effective. There’s something to the CBD oil too but it is nowhere near as potent as alcohol. I suspect that alcohol is every bit as effective as, say, ultram or even maybe Vicodin/norco. I’ve only ever had ultram though but alcohol seems every bit as effective. It just intoxicates you more.
STOP THE PRESSES!!!
“Feeling no pain”
I think I’m past the teshting phase pershonally. It works.
There’s still a little but I’m not about to experiment with 4 martinis on a work night.
I wonder if that would be better on your liver?
Thish ish only a tesht
If Pharmaceutical companies couldn't make any money off of it, they'd never produce it.
I've never been much of a drinker, and have been diabetic the past 20 years that I control with oral meds and diet. I also have a fatty liver, so alcohol is off-limits to me. I used to like the occasional Bloody Mary, but haven't had one for many years.
I had a slipped disc once, so I can imagine the pain you are having. I hope you can get your back problems relieved. I'm headed to the Orthopedic Doctor next Monday for my chronic lower back pain. It's been over a year since I had a cortisone shot, and I think I'm overdue.
Once you get your truck back and your dog back, you may realize you don’t want the girl back—the truck and the dog are enough.
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