A Proposed Molecular Mechanism for Physical Analgesia in Chronic Pain

Abstract

Although pain is indispensable for survival, chronic pain places a heavy burden on humans. As the efficacy of opioid treatment is limited, the development of alternative methods of pain relief without medication is desirable. Recently, we have developed a novel method of physical analgesia using an adhesive “pyramidal thorn patch.” When we apply about 3 trials of these patches on the skin of a pain region, the pain region moves toward the spinal cord like a “cutaneous rabbit,” and finally, the pain vanishes. In the present review, we propose a molecular mechanism for this analgesic method or pain relief following application of the pyramidal thorn patch where firstly the mechanoreceptors and their related nerves under the skin are activated in response to touch. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels serve as mechanosensitive channels within these mechanoreceptors. We further propose that activation of the nerves connected with the mechanoreceptors releases oxytocin, which has an antinociceptive function and activates TRP channels to hyperpolarize the pain signal nerves. We believe that our system will pave the way for alternative pain treatment.

Adhesive pyramidal thorn patches provide pain relief to athletes

“…Oxt may be generated in the DRG and act there . Many studies of Oxt in the DRG suggest that Aβ RA signals are changed to long‐lasting SA signals by Oxt with the aid of glia cells in the DRG . In addition, Oxt receptors and GABA receptors are located in the DH.…”

“…We developed an analgesic sheet that we termed the PT patch . The structure of the PT patch is shown in Figure .…”

“…Almost all athletes experience joint and muscle pain. Although much of this pain can be alleviated in clinics such as bonesetter's clinics, the physiologic mechanism of analgesia remains unresolved . In addition, most athletes who experience pain prefer to avoid using systemic medicine, because they worry about doping violations and side effects .…”

“…In addition, most athletes who experience pain prefer to avoid using systemic medicine, because they worry about doping violations and side effects . Thus, they prefer to use complementary and alternative treatments including our pyramidal thorn (PT) patch, as described below . Although complementary and alternative treatments have long been considered to be very effective and their use is also recommended by the World Health Organization, they sometimes lack credibility for both clinicians and subjects …”

“…We recently developed an adhesive PT patch that acts very gently to relieve pain . When using a PT patch, however, it is important to pay attention to the placebo effect.…”