The Painful Science of Salt and Capsaicin

This chapter examines the historical and modern understanding of the effects of salt on wounds, highlighting ancient remedies and pain responses to saline. It explores the physiological mechanisms behind pain perception due to osmolarity changes and compares the effects of salt with those of capsaicin, the compound in chili peppers. Additionally, the chapter discusses the evolutionary roles and similarities in pain signaling between plant compounds and venomous substances.