What does the level of pain threshold depend on?

Pain, the subjective sensation of discomfort, has perplexed humans for centuries. The fact that people experience pain differently has long been observed. It is almost as if pain has a personality of its own, unique to each individual. Beyond a certain threshold, pain becomes intolerable, pushing the body beyond its physical limits. Understanding this threshold level is crucial as it allows individuals to gain control over their bodily sensations. After all, the "right" sensation of pain is a vital protective response, a genetic mechanism that is inherent to survival.

In the medical field, pain threshold is defined as a specific human response to nerve irritations. But much like the variety of individuals in nature, no two pain thresholds are the same. What may be a mere discomfort from a medical procedure or injection for one patient, may be perceived as excruciating agony by another.

A low pain threshold of sensitivity is indicated when a person experiences real suffering and reaches the limit of their patience even from minimal external stimuli. On the other hand, if an individual is able to maintain a normal sense of well-being even under painful stimuli, their threshold of pain sensitivity is considered high.

Researchers from the German Max Planck Institute for Neurobiology and Cognitive Sciences have confirmed that the pain threshold is dependent on an individual's condition. Although the level of pain threshold is genetically predetermined, it is heavily influenced by physiological features, health conditions, and working and rest conditions. The scientists have identified nociceptors, specific nerve receptor zones located throughout the body, which are responsible for the sensation of pain. Manipulating these nerve end zones can help to control the threshold of sensitivity, neutralizing excessively long or intense pain impulses. Such impulses can hinder the body's recovery processes or cause persistent dysfunctions and diseases, eventually leading to a restriction of working capacity.

Chronic pain, a common affliction, is a scourge on the quality of life for about 7% of adults, according to studies. On the other hand, Professor P. McHugh of the University of Huddersfield has found that one in seven people on earth may have little or no response to pain. The results of such scientific research offer hope for the development of effective cures or remedies for people with a low threshold of pain sensitivity.