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From: flake@scr.siemens.com (Gary William Flake)
Subject: Re: Evolutionary reason for incapacitating pain?
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References: <brianhill-0304952108120001@brianhill.bdt.com>
Date: Fri, 7 Apr 1995 14:35:07 GMT
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Brian Hill <brianhill@bdt.com> wrote:
> Are there evolutionary reasons for incapacitating pain?
> 
> Creatures feel pain as a warning system, which is advantageous.  But why
> does pain become so intense that the creature is incapacitated?
> 
> Wouldn't it be more beneficial to the creature for pain to be intense, but
> level out before becoming incapacitating?
>
> [ ... ]

I would argue that our nervous system already does this.  A year or so
ago I wasn't so sure and I had often wondered about this issue myself.
However, last summer I pulverized my wrist into about seven different
pieces.  To say the least, I was surprised at my body's reaction.

I expected that if I was ever seriously injured that I would
immediately regress to an age of about 6 months, meaning that I would
be screaming like any other baby.  Instead, I was lucid and very
interested in the whole process.  Oh, to be sure, it hurt like hell,
but I found myself making clinical observations like "wow, look how it
has doubled in size", and "I have a strong sensation of warmth in my
arm--perhaps from increased blood flow?", etc.

I went almost two hours without any drugs, then decided that a good
dose of morphine would hit the spot when they set the bone.

Sure, it was painful.  Yes, I could hardly walk.  But in truth it
wasn't nearly as bad as you would think.

I realize that this is purely anecdotal, but does anyone else have any
personal experiences along these lines?

Regards,
Gary
-- 
Gary W. Flake,  flake@scr.siemens.com,  Phone: 609-734-3676,  Fax: 609-734-6565
Siemens Corporate Research,  755 College Road East,  Princeton, NJ  08540,  USA
