Deep breath: Stress can increase sensitivity to pain

We’ve all heard stories of injured athletes taking the field, wounded soldiers completing missions, or panicked parents exhibiting superhuman endurance to rescue their children. Such dramatic stress pumps up dopamine and adrenaline, improving focus and distracting from pain. But everyday stress acts differently, new research shows. It can push dopamine levels down, making pain feel worse and harder to ignore, according to a new study. Randall Paulsen, assistant professor of psychiatry at Brigham and Women's Hospital, is quoted.

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