Study reveals how female hormones trigger opioid production for pain suppression

[JamieMarc]

Scientists have discovered a new mechanism that acts via an immune cell and points toward a different way of treating chronic pain.

Female hormones can suppress pain by making immune cells near the spinal cord produce opioids, a new study from researchers at UC San Francisco has found. This stops pain signals before they get to the brain.

The discovery could help with developing new treatments for chronic pain. It may also explain why some painkillers work better for women than men and why postmenopausal women experience more pain.

 

[SBee]

@JamieMarc you may have opened a new can of worms.... I took a look at this research after your post and am trying to unscramble some of it. I have literally today been told I need to change my inflammatory arthritis drugs having an additional medication which works by addressing the inflammation caused by the proteins called cytokines. And its the inflammation that causes, amongst other symptoms, pain.

So, if I have this right (could go either way ), in this new research, the protein cytokine works by balancing parts of the immune system ? (and in inflammatory arthritis they are too dominant so forming an autoimmune disease some drugs try to dampen their effect).

What interests me, is to see if the new medication, once its working at its optimum has any changes in fibromyalgia pain as well as the arthritic pain.

Also, its known that for some women, any type of pain can be magnified at different times in the menstrual cycle, due to fluctuating hormone levels. Hopefully hrt can help keep hormone levels balanced even after menopause, should an individual choose,or actually be able to take hrt and maybe if this research proves right, avoid additional pain.

I guess as the research progresses it may make ways to harness the effectiveness for all. My head is now spinning....

 

[JamieMarc]

@SBee
You are not alone. My head is spinning too. Lol.

I did not go into too much reading on this new discovery since it is so new, but I have made a note to keep tabs on it just as I have for the vip36 compound.

I don't want to fill my head right now with too much scientific reading at these early stages because I don't like my head spinning. LOL. But I think it is very interesting along with the vip36 compound.

It seems to me like the opioid crisis, as it is called here, has spurred universities and pharmaceutical companies to increase their research into non-opioid alternatives. Just in the past 2 months I have learned of these two new discoveries.

I always want to share, of course, any news I come across about treatments for fibromyalgia and or pain, chronic pain. I'm happy This research is being done, but I do not have expectations or get my hopes up until the development of a new drug or treatment comes close to fruition.

When I have time I will be reading more on this latest development. It seems that you have read more than me at this point. I do remember cytokines being mentioned, but so much of it is Greek to me. So when I have time I will sit down and try my best to fully understand the pharmacology behind this discovery.

 

[Anabrock]

I wonder if that's why chronic pain is so common in post menopausal women? Lack of oestrogen to trigger pain suppressant hormones?

 

[SBee]

@Anabrock I think there is a lot more to learn about the effects all types of hormones within our bodies have on pain etc. I am on a fairly hefty dose of hrt but at some points in an hrt regime, if symptoms are settled,the usual blood tests to check for oestrogen levels don't seem to be needed . So no idea what my levels currently are.

I used to think I had a good tolerance to pain, nowadays I cant work out if I've lost that tolerance, or if the pain really is high - or even worse I am doubting my own abilities to judge myself anymore. Tangled mess sometimes

 

[Anabrock]

I'm on hormone blockers since I've had oestrogen-mediated breast cancer. So my levels are in my boots and my pain levels are definitely a lot higher. I've read that you can have a high tolerance to pain normally, but chronic pain is a totally different mechanism in the body. And vice versa (some people cope well with chronic pain but are unable to cope with acute pain).

 

[SBee]

Thanks @Anabrock It's hard enough working with mad hormones on hrt, let alone you needing the blockers in place. From your cancer experiences and the plummeting oestrogen gives a real degree of 'proof' that being post-menopause may have such a bearing on pain.
Makes me wonder if my levels are lower than I expect on the high oestrogen patches.

I hadnt come across the thought process of chronic vs acute pain tolerances. But something that I can very much believe.
I wish you well

 

[Anabrock]

Thanks SBee. My consultant told me that effectively the drugs I had for my cancer were like "falling off a hormone cliff". She was very apologetic earlier in the year when I needed to be switched to a different drug as it causes fibro like symptoms in patients who don't have fibro - we expected it could make my situation worse, and it has. Then again, it's keeping my cancer at bay so small price to pay and hopefully I won't need to be on it too long. As for my pain levels, I cope OK with chronic pain in that I'm still working and living my life - I won't let chronic pain stop me. But when I've had surgery I've experienced much more pain than they expected so I'm a little concerned about that with my forthcoming surgery. Then again, we now know I need more pain relief so hopefully that will be in place.

 

[SBee]

@Anabrock your own experiences show again how individuals react to pain and medications. That is of course why its so hard to find a definitive medication (s) that has the desired positive effect. Because so many factors come into play, especially,I feel, when other health conditions are involved at the same time.

Also that understanding that any medication \supplement can have positive and negative reactions, but its up to us as individuals if the benefits outweigh the side effects. Though goes without saying some drugs are 100% essential and we do not always have the option, as with yourself needing to halt the breast cancer, and so we simply must take them, or a suitable alternative.

I sincerely hope the future surgery goes well and adequate pain meds can be used.

 

[marymi]

Very interesting news about female hormones. I got FM 6 mths after my marriage fell apart. Very bad and shocking pain, migraines and very bad brain fog and depression. Am very interested in post-menopausal women getting worse. I had two children and throught pregnancies I had NO pain whatsoever. ? Hormonal, certainly think so. Natural opioid must be better than chemical of which there are a few I have tried from GP . I will follow up when return from a holiday. So tired, excuse any error. MM

 

[Anabrock]

I was worse in pregnancy just FWIW

 

[SBee]

@marymi a GP said that the massive shift in hormones during menopause was likely to have triggered CFS and fibro. Shortly after I was diagnosed with inflammatory arthritis, and was in a hugely stressful family situation. I think of the mix of mental, hormonal and physical stresses as a perfect storm for these conditions to impact a person so much.

never had children ( through choice) but severe pms for 40+ years which morphed into pmdd during perimenopause. Hormones can, I believe, play a big contributory factor for some.

I hope your upcoming holiday can both refresh and rest you a little