The mu opioid receptor is like a master switch that, when activated, blocks pain signals in the spinal cord and brain — that’s the relief. But the same switch is in our gut and brainstem, which is why we also get constipation and slowed breathing. The body gets used to the signal, so it demands more for the same effect, building tolerance.
I explain this to my mother in Marathi when she takes her prescription, saying "He receptor aata kapaal ghetaay" — these receptors are being stubborn — while counting our rupees for the month, hoping her dose doesn’t need increasing.
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