Is pain-induced coma a real phenomenon?

Question

Hi:

The following martial arts site discusses certain techniques to incapacitate opponents. The one I quoted talk about pain causing loss of consciousness by disrupting the reticular formation. Is this true science or just some age old myth?

quote from http://72.14.253.104/search?q=cache:ziuTpWWP9_oJ:www.internetarmory.com/self_defense.htm+%22neural+shock%22&hl=en&gl=us&ct=clnk&cd=3 :

"It is speculated that various organs of the body can send pain impulses to the brain stem indicating a severe or overwhelming bodily injury. The reticular activating system responds by producing a functional "shut down", which results in loss of consciousness within a second or two."

If this is real science, then what is mechanism in which the so-called "shut down" occurs?


Thanks,

Green

Answer 1

I'm sorry I cannot scientifically answer your question, but I will be interested in the answers. I have heard of such losses of consciousness. Ayurevedic literature speaks of the fact that when the body experiences a certain degree of pain, the soul withdraws from the body--- temporarily or permanently.
And we all know of people who have experienced this simply due to fear, etc. In fact, I experienced a freakish 30 foot fall -- and when I realized (instantaneously) what was happening, I "left" my body. It felt as though I was gone for a very long time, but in fact it was only seconds. The landing jolted me back into my body-- and while there was no head injury or bleeding to account for unconsciousness, the severe pain (my ribs and three vertebrae were crushed) caused me to go into and out of consciousness repeatedly.
So yes, I'd say it is real.