CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta recalls a significant moment from his childhood when he accidentally impaled himself on a wrought iron fence. At just 12 years old, while running through his neighborhood, he impulsively decided to leap over a fence that he typically navigated around. Unfortunately, he miscalculated and one of the spikes pierced his side, entering from the back and exiting through the front. Fortunately, Gupta only suffered a superficial injury to his skin, avoiding more severe damage to his chest or abdomen. He describes the event as a classic "in-out" injury, and he remained impaled for several minutes until his mother arrived to assist him. Reflecting on this traumatic incident, Gupta mentions experiencing an unusual sense of euphoria during the ordeal, attributing it to his body's natural pain relief mechanisms. “For some people, the body reacts vigorously, releasing a flood of endorphins,” he explains. “You might find yourself ironically laughing despite a terrible injury.”
In his latest book, It Doesn't Have to Hurt: Your Smart Guide to a Pain-Free Life, Gupta delves into the complexities of pain, including its causes and the diverse medications available for treatment. He also shares techniques to train the mind to alleviate certain types of pain through methods such as distraction and meditation. “When people are in pain, they often become hyper-focused on that sensation,” he notes. “By redirecting their attention, we can help them experience relief, potentially reducing pain scores from severe levels to zero during meditation.” He emphasizes the brain’s capacity to be trained in managing pain.
During an interview, Gupta highlights the brain's occasional misinterpretation of pain signals. A prime example is phantom limb pain, where individuals who have had an amputation continue to experience pain in the missing limb. This phenomenon reveals the brain's significant role in pain perception, leading to critical insights about how pain is processed. “If the brain can create pain, it can also misinterpret it,” he asserts. For instance, heart attack victims might experience pain in their jaw or left arm instead of their chest. Chronic pain can also stem from the brain's failure to stop the pain cycle, creating what Gupta describes as a "pain loop."
Gupta finds it fascinating that our bodies possess an endogenous opioid system, which functions similarly to morphine. “We can activate this system in various ways to release endorphins throughout our body,” he explains. He suggests that actively practicing gratitude can enhance this effect. For example, rather than passively acknowledging enjoyment, savoring experiences—like fully appreciating the flavors of an ice cream cone or the colors of a sunset—can stimulate the body's natural pain-relieving mechanisms.
Gupta contrasts opioid medications with the body’s natural opioid system, noting that while synthetic opioids can cause lingering side effects, our endogenous opioids are quickly metabolized. He humorously remarks that without the body's natural pain relief system, “women might never have more than one child,” highlighting how these internal mechanisms help manage pain during childbirth.
Gupta also addresses the common misconception that inflammation is detrimental to health. “Inflammation serves a critical purpose, particularly in the healing process,” he states. Using the example of a sprained ankle, he explains that while swelling may be uncomfortable, it is part of the body’s natural response to injury. “Instead of viewing inflammation as harmful, it’s essential to recognize it as a fundamental aspect of the healing process,” he suggests.
Gupta introduces Suzetrigine, a groundbreaking non-opioid pain medication recently approved by the FDA. The development of this drug has an intriguing backstory involving families of circus performers in Karachi, Pakistan, who exhibited an unusual ability to endure pain. Researchers identified a genetic trait that allowed these individuals to feel sensations without experiencing pain, guiding them toward understanding specific sodium channel blockers essential for creating targeted pain relief without eliminating sensation completely. “The challenge was to create a medication that alleviates pain without removing its utility altogether,” he notes.
Gupta shares his findings on the use of cannabis for pain relief, noting that his extensive review of the literature left him less convinced than he expected. Due to cannabis's classification as a level one substance in the U.S., gathering reliable data has been a challenge. “The best available evidence suggests that cannabis may be effective for about one-third of people suffering from neuropathic pain, but it doesn’t seem to work for everyone,” he concludes, highlighting the need for more research to understand who benefits from cannabis and why.
Through his insights and experiences, Dr. Sanjay Gupta emphasizes the importance of understanding pain and exploring various methods for managing it effectively, from medication to meditation.
