Cogentically Blind More Sensitive to Pain, Says Study

"Absence of vision from birth leads to a permanent state of pain hypersensitivity, reports an article in the journal PAIN," reports Science Daily. "An international team of scientists investigated whether congenitally blind subjects experience pain differently than sighted individuals. Their results, published in the current issue of PAIN, reveal compelling evidence that congenitally blind individuals are hypersensitive to pain caused by thermal stimuli. The findings are important because a key biological function of acute pain is to prevent bodily injury. Vision plays a critical role, as it allows a person to immediately detect and avoid potentially hazardous situations. Previous studies conducted in normal-sighted individuals had already demonstrated the link between vision and pain perception. The research team hypothesized that the absence of visual cues may therefore lead to heightened vigilance for painful stimuli." Read more.