Fond of Spicy Food? Study Reveals Chilli Can Relieve Pain

The burning sensation on the tongue after eating spicy food is often considered torture by some people. However, a recent small study on human sensory perception has discovered a unique fact: consuming something spicy can actually help reduce the sensation of severe physical pain.

The study, titled “Acute spicy stimulation reduces laser-induced heat pain perception in healthy adults” and published in the journal Physiology & Behaviour, tested how spiciness in the mouth can affect the way the brain processes pain in other parts of the body.

Citing a report by PsyPost, the researchers found that chewing gelatin containing chilli in the mouth successfully reduced the severity of a person’s reaction to high-intensity laser heat directed at their hands. Interestingly, this pain-relieving effect only worked on intense pain, and had no effect on pain caused by mild heat.

Behind this unique effect lies capsaicin, the active chemical compound that gives chillies their iconic spicy taste. When consumed, capsaicin binds to specific receptors in the body called TRPV1. These receptors, distributed in the mouth, tongue, and skin, function to detect dangerously hot environmental temperatures.

When a person eats chillies, capsaicin binds to TRPV1 and immediately “tricks” the nervous system. The brain registers an intense burning sensation, even though physically there is no burning or tissue damage occurring in the body.

In the medical world, the chemical properties of capsaicin have long been used in the form of creams or high-dose topical patches to treat nerve damage, arthritis, and muscle pain.

By providing a constant and mild burning stimulation, nociceptors (pain-responsive sensory neurons) become “fatigued” and eventually stop sending pain signals to the brain.