Why does sugar help my chronic pain?

[alias_sqbr]

Since my google-fu has failed me.

Something I've noticed when I'm having very bad pain days is that one of the biggest things that helps (other than painkillers and rest) is sugar, carbs, and salt, either individually or together. This works even when I'm not especially hungry.

Sodium affecting pain, especially in cfs, seems to be well known, and since salt has no major side effects I just eat as much as I need. (I know it can raise cholestorol, and mine is a little high, but being in excruciating pain seems like a worse thing for me in the short and long term)

But I can't find any information online about sugar immediately affecting chronic pain, and it's long term effect is supposed to be to make it worse. In general, sugar can make me get hyper then crash, or feel nauseous, and is bad for my teeth etc. Also it's delicious, so sometimes when I think "Mmm sugar!" it's just that I want the taste. So I'd like to figure out how it's affecting me to be able to use it efficiently.

I've tried looking this up but just got information about (a) low blood sugar (which doesn't seem to cause pain?) (b) foods that affect chronic inflammatory pain in the long term (and sugar makes it worse)

I guess it could be low blood sugar, the symptoms would be masked by my cfs (which is generally kicking in badly on high pain days) But all the symptom lists I can find don't even mention pain except as a sign of high blood sugar associated with diabetes (which I don't have)

Oh well. Even if I don't understand WHY it works, it's good that it is does. I was so sore I could barely roll over to turn on the radio, but after I dragged myself to the kitchen to make a vegemite sandwich I felt well enough to write this. Time to go eat a packet of Peckish Original Rice Crackers, which have a nice mix of carbs salt and sugar that works well and is also tasty.

Does anyone know anything helpful? Anyone else experienced something similar?

Comments

[lilacsigil]

Sucrose analgesia is a real thing in children, and some studies have found it more effective than paracetamol for vaccine and blood test pain relief (breastfeeding is also effective, and breastmilk also contains sugar). I haven't seen any studies about this in adults, though.

Cochrane review: https://www.cochrane.org/CD001069/NEONATAL_sucrose-analgesia-pain-relief-newborn-infants-undergoing-painful-procedures

[alias_sqbr]

Ah, yes, I forgot to say I did encounter that too! What about the rest of us, science? We like jellybeans after needles too!

[lilysea]

Could it be that sugar [and sugar + fat] have an anti-Anxiety effect; and also a pro-euphoria effect?

Thanks for writing about this: I found it interesting.

Esp since the advice for chronic pain is usually "avoid sugar, it promotes inflammation which aggravates pain"

[alias_sqbr]

Hmm, looks like sugar is ALSO supposed to worsen anxiety haha. Generally I find it improves my mood briefly, but not for as long as the anti-pain effect.

I think there may be some psychological component, but bland salty-sweet crackers have a better pain effect than tastier but less salty-sweet foods that make me happier.

[winterbird]

Gah to having such a bad pain day (the pain when it hurts just to roll over is the worst, I'm sending lots of non-hurting distance hugs).

Also I don't know anything about sugar helping things, but tbh I've always been a bit suss of the 'sugar increases inflammation *so never ever eat it*' advice, because like with reviling eggs carte blanche, or never eating carbs again, it seems to be ignoring vital parts of the puzzle.

(Also the sodium thing I did NOT know and it's amazing how much I just crave 'salt' and 'salty things' when my symptoms are really bad, or I'm recovering from a cold. Until they tell me it's killing me, I'm rolling with it... And I'll probably keep doing that when they tell me it's killing me too tbh).

[alias_sqbr]

Yeah the messages about sugar can be very extreme. Also inflammation is the current Universal Explanation for All Ills for woo health types, so there's a lot of very shonky information about it online.

[rdm]

Not so sure on the chronic pain, but a balanced mix of sugar and fats* will often help (a lot) in relieving a migraine for me.

Alas, no papers or citations.

* i.e. Chocolate. Milk to be precise, so I doubt it is the theobromine, as high percentage darks don't have the same effect. If I manage to think of it when my brain next explodes, I'll try honeyed butter, and see what that does.

[alias_sqbr]

nods Before I went off dairy I used to drink chocolate milk before exams for the combo of fat/sugar/a little caffeine, it helped keep away headaches and flagging energy.

[(Anonymous)]

Hi! Sorry to respond to an old post, and anonymously too. I just wanted to say I appreciate you talking about this. (I ran across your post on tumblr!) I absolutely do eat more sugar on really bad pain days, but it never occurred to me to connect the two. I also drink lots of milk? Not sure if it helps or if it's just that I love milk and it makes me happy. But I don't usually like sweet things at all, and yet I really crave them on pain days.

Anyway, thank you again for mentioning it, it kind of improved my day to know I'm not alone in this.

[alias_sqbr]

Oh man I took forever to reply to this, but I'm really glad it was helpful! I say eating an icy pole/popsicle to get me through finally replying to my email >.>

Dairy is not my friend but that's interesting about milk. It's a nice mix of water, fat, sugars, and protein. Plus alkaline, if your body likes that, I used to eat a lot of low fat icecream when my reflux was playing up. (Alas for woo health fad people ruining the idea of "alkaline food")