Heat halts period pain - scientists

[Angel]

For years, many women have insisted that the best 'cure' for period pains is a hot water bottle. However this theory has now been scientifically proven.

Dr Brian King at University College London led the research which found that heat really does relieve abdominal pain, such as menstrual pain and colic.

According to Dr King, the pain of colic, cystitis and period pain is caused by a temporary reduction in blood flow to, or over-distension of, hollow organs such as the bowel or uterus. This causes local tissue damage and activates pain receptors.

"The heat doesn't just provide comfort and have a placebo effect. It actually deactivates the pain at a molecular level in much the same way as pharmaceutical painkillers work. We have discovered how this molecular process works", Dr King explained.

He said that if heat over 40 degrees Celsius is applied to the skin near to where internal pain is felt, it switches on heat receptors located at the site of injury. These heat receptors in turn block the effect of chemical messengers that cause pain to be detected by the body.

The scientists found that the heat receptor, TRPV1, can block P2X3 pain receptors. By blocking these receptors, TRPV1 is able to stop the pain being sensed by the body.

"The problem with heat is that it can only provide temporary relief. The focus of future research will continue to be the discovery and development of pain relief drugs that will block P2X3 pain receptors", Dr Kind added.

He presented these findings at the annual conference of the UK Psychological Society.

[Anup'da]

that means the use of water bottle to relieve also have own sci fi logic of pain relief

anup'da
kmc,7th batch

[demon_dissector]

not very practical though...we'd all have to carry a hot water bottle everywhere we go. Best solution is to have 2 paracetamols and 2 ibuprofen, they work in different pathways so it's more effective.