Did you feel that? ... Nope.

Familial dysautonomia (FD) is a rare disease which causes an individual not to feel pain. Although some patients with this disease can feel pressure in some parts of their bodies, or feel the sensation of being ticklish, they have no idea what it feels like to be physically hurt. Along with not being able to feel pain, they cannot feel heat, regulate their body temperatures, or create tears. FD is a genetic neurological condition, mean it can be passed on. Watch this video on how you could avoid FD

When first hearing about this disease on an episode of House, I thought it was amazing. On this episode it did not talk about the rest of the side effect, only that this one girl could not feel any pain. A broken bone, a cut; unnoticed. I dreamed of having this disease, after all one of the biggest fears I have, and most seem to have is the fear of pain. Imagine getting punched and not feeling any pain, you would give Floyd Mayweather a run for his money.




I thought I wanted this disease up until I read a few stories from people that actually have the disease, like this one.You could potentially bleed to death without even knowing you’re bleeding, or have a life threatening illness without even knowing you’re sick. Every day you have to carry around eye drops because you cannot produce tears, also leaving you with a lack of emotional expression. You constantly have to have doctor’s visits, and be checked out to make sure you hadn’t hurt yourself. The average day event for most becomes a bigger deal with the fear of hurting yourself without feeling hurt.

With the fears, risks, and challenges set aside let’s look at the possibilities, or making the impossible possible. Due to the fact that FD is a genetic condition there is a possibility that scientist could find a way to distract this gene and use it for possibly the greater good. Imagine finding a way to only distract the part of the disease that aloud for no pain. We could inject our soldiers with this pain-free potion. With this there comes ups and down. The possibility of getting seriously injured, and not knowing it could be life threatening. On the other hand what if a soldier felt no pain and was captured by enemy forces?The soldier would most likely make it through getting torcher with no physical pain causing him to not speak, or surrendering. In most cases surrender leads to death. Cases like this would be the only good outcome of not feeling any pain. Imagine if anyone in the world could choose whether or not they wanted to feel pain. The idea is scary and limitless.


Sources:
http://www.esquire.com/dont-miss/wifl/notfeelpain0807
fdhope.org
www.familialdysautonomia.org/