In this episode, I describe the science of how and why pain arises in the body and brain, and how we can actively control our experience of pain. I discuss inflammation, stress, acupuncture, limb damage and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). I review protocols that leverage the lymphatic and nervous system to accelerate pain relief and healing in a variety of situations. Other topics discussed include how heat versus cold impacts neurons and wounds, red-light, sunlight, stem cells and more.

For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com.

Thank you to our sponsors

AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman

LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman

Waking Up: https://www.wakingup.com/huberman

Momentous: https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman

Timestamps

(00:00:00) Introduction/Avenues for Support

(00:00:31) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT, Waking Up

(00:04:58) Deliberate Unlearning

(00:06:43) Pain, Injury and Regeneration

(00:09:17) A System of Touch (Somatosensation)

(00:11:42) Pain and Injury are Dissociable

(00:15:19) Objective versus Subjective Control of Experience

(00:16:15) Plasticity of Perception

(00:16:41) Lack of Pain Is Self-Destructive; So Is Excessive Pain

(00:18:42) Homoculous, Ratonculous, Dogunculus

(00:19:05) “Sensitivity” explained

(00:21:30) Inflammation

(00:22:24) Phantom Limb Pain

(00:24:00) Top-down Relief of Pain by Vision

(00:26:41) From Deaf to Hearing Sounds

(00:28:10) Pain Is In The Mind & Body

(00:29:44) Recovering Movement Faster After Injury

(00:35:00) Don’t Over Compensate

(00:37:34) Concussion, TBI & Brain Ageing

(00:40:49) The Brain’s Sewage Treatment System: Glymphatic Clearance

(00:43:05) Body Position & Angle During Sleep

(00:44:30) Types of Exercise For Restoring & Maintaining Brain Health

(00:47:33) Ambulance Cells in The Brain

(00:49:20) True Pain Control by Belief and Context

(00:51:45) Romantic Love and Pain

(00:55:05) Dopaminergic Control of Pain

(00:57:15) Acupuncture: Rigorous Scientific Assessment

(01:07:32) Vagus Activation and Autonomic Control of Pain

(01:08:30) Inflammation, Turmeric, Lead and DHT

(01:11:40) Adrenalin: Wim Hof, Tummo, “Super-Oxygenation” Breathing

(01:14:53) Protocols For Accelerating Tissue Repair & Managing Pain

(01:17:55) Ice Is Not Always Nice (For Pain and Injury): Sludging, Fascia, Etc.

(01:22:02) Chronic and/or Whole Body Pain; Red-Light Therapy, Sunlight

(01:26:10) Glymphatics and Sleep

(01:26:29) Stem Cells, Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP: Shams, Shoulds and Should Nots

(01:31:38) Young Blood: Actual Science

(01:35:44) Synthesis, Support & Resources

Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac

Disclaimer

Control Pain & Heal Faster with Your Brain