I first came across the case of Gabby Gringas through an episode of a popular medical drama that portrayed Gabby’s story through a fictional character, Claire. This episode features a young girl who had taken an intense fall off a trampoline, resulting in what appeared to be a
broken arm and a dislocated shoulder. Initially, the doctors were in disbelief at her body’s inability to display signs of pain in response to her injuries. After much deliberation among the doctors, it was revealed that Claire suffered from a rare genetic disorder known as congenital insensitivity to pain.
As I witnessed the medical breakthrough of this episode, my initial thoughts were, “Woah, that must be a blessing.” However, I was completely mistaken. Along with her trampoline fall, Claire also obtained significant internal injuries which could’ve resulted in her death if they hadn’t been identified. The body’s ability to sense pain is nothing short of a miracle, and while most people view pain as a curse, it is a blessing in disguise. So, how exactly does the body perform this extraordinary task?
The Nervous System
The nervous system is essential in the body’s process of recognizing and addressing pain. This system is comprised of three main components, the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. The nervous system also encompasses two sub-sections, the central nervous system (CNS) and the peripheral nervous system (PNS). The PNS contains the body’s motor and sensory nerves. These nerves are responsible for identifying any entity inflicted upon the body and regulating the body’s muscle movements.
For instance, if you were to step on a Lego, this action would be identified by the body’s sensory nerves. In turn, special pain receptors called nociceptors shoot signals from your original point of injury through the spinal cord and the brain. The “pain” itself is caused by the different chemicals that the sensory nerve fibers release, triggering various responses. Additionally, studies have proven that the frequency of nociceptor release has an upward effect on pain intensity.
The Brain and Spinal Cord
As the signals from the original point of injury reach the spinal cord, they meet the dorsal horn. The dorsal horn sends a message to the foot, in this case, commanding the muscles to immediately move away from the Lego, whilst simultaneously transporting the signal to the brain.
The nociceptor signal’s final destination is the brain, specifically the thalamus. The thalamus relays this newfound information to the rest of the brain, triggering sensory outputs and the actual perception of pain. It is only when the brain identifies the signals as pain, that the sensation is felt on the person.
References
ABC News. (2005, December 14). The girl who can’t feel pain.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/OnCall/story?id=1386322
Osterweis, M., Kleinman, A., & Mechanic, D. (1987). The anatomy and physiology of pain. Pain and Disability - NCBI Bookshelf.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK219252/#:~:text=First%2C%20there%20are% 20specific%20pain,nerves%20to%20the%20spinal%20cord.
Professional, C. C. M. (2024, May 1). Nervous system. Cleveland Clinic. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/21202-nervous-system
Southern Pain & Neurological. (2021, February 23). How the nervous system detects and interprets pain. Southern Pain and Neurological.
https://southernpainclinic.com/blog/how-the-nervous-system-detects-and-interprets-pain/
Written by Laasya Alampali from MEDILOQUY