Gene Mutation In Woman Who Feels No pain Offers Hope For Future Pain Treatment

This is amazing and gives hope to anyone in pain.

A 71-year-old woman in Scotland feels virtually no pain or stress thanks to a mutation in a previously unknown gene -- and a new study says she could be the key to future pain treatment.

Jo Cameron was in her mid-60s when her pain insensitivity was diagnosed by Dr. Devjit Srivastava, a consultant in anesthesia and pain medicine in Inverness, Scotland.  Cameron underwent an operation, and Srivastava was shocked when she reported feeling no pain before or after the surgery.  She also didn't need any painkillers other than Tylenol on the day of her operation.

She apparently had a long history of other painless injuries -- even not realizing she'd burned herself until she smelled the burning skin. What's more, Cameron reported she never felt panicked, even during dangerous or fearful situations, such as a recent road traffic accident.

Srivastava referred her to pain geneticists in England at University College London and the University of Oxford.

According to a case report published in the British Journal of Anaesthesia, the researchers found two notable genetic mutations that, together, allowed Cameron to live without hardly any pain or anxiety.

Researchers hope their findings might one day contribute to clinical research for post-operative pain, wound healing, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder and potentially chronic pain.