• 🌶️ The skin (and other body parts) has pain receptors which detect nasty things like:
  • Bee stings 🐝
  • Really hot stuff 🔥
  • That not-so-fun poke from a needle 💉
• When these receptors get activated, they send a fast-track message to our brain via sensory neurons.
• Fun fact: These pain receptors have channels that open for positive ions when they detect things like
  • Crazy high temperatures 🌡️
  • Acid 😳
  • Chemicals like the spicy kick in chili peppers called capsaicin.
• Once these positive ions flood in, a nerve impulse begins its journey to the brain.

• The impulses first reach the spinal column and then get relayed by interneurons to the cerebral cortex (a big fancy part of our brain).
• The sensation of pain is felt when these impulses hit the sensory areas of the cerebral cortex.
• Meanwhile, signals are sent to the prefrontal cortex, our brain's decision-making zone.
  • Example: When touching a hot pan, our brain tells our hand, "Whoa there! Too hot! Move away!" 🍳✋

Just like climbers deciding whether to move forward or retreat based on several factors, our brain does a similar thing when evaluating pain.

Ever had a Carolina Reaper chili? It’s one of the spiciest because it’s LOADED with capsaicin, making you feel like your mouth's on fire!