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svenx t1_jefg3rf wrote

Narcan (Naloxone) blocks endorphin receptors, preventing endorphins (your body's natural pain killer - "endogenous morphine") from doing its job. So while it doesn't directly increase pain, it keeps your body from taking its normal steps to *reduce* that pain, leading to greater overall pain perception.

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LibertyPrimeIsASage t1_jegv36l wrote

Really? I took a training course on giving narcan. They said that if someone is not currently on/addicted to opioids, it should have no perceivable effect on them, so if you have suspicion someone ODed and is unresponsive, give it to them, as worst case scenario it does nothing. I now worth it could make a shock case worse. Obviously this is a niche scenario, but I wonder if that's true.

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oxycodone_olga t1_jegyx14 wrote

There are even studies that showed opioid antagonists like naloxone increase pain, by reducing the placebo effect in patients. So the natural endorphine system of the body does certainly play a role in placebo induced analgesia

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