For all her life, one woman had felt no pain. As a toddler, she could bump into things until she risked breaking bones, or leave her hand on a cooker until her flesh burnt, and not notice. Then British scientists gave her a simple drug, fired a laser at her arm, and, for the first time, she felt what it was to be hurt. “It was great,” she said.
The insights gained from the anonymous 39-year-old woman, who has a rare genetic condition, could be used to treat a more prevalent problem: the chronic pain suffered by millions.
Although their sense of touch is normal, a small number of people are unable to feel any pain. In past studies, researchers had discovered an apparent mutation