Doctors Break Down The (Very Real) ‘Novocaine’ Condition

IN THE LATEST action-comedy blockbuster, Novocaine, Jack Quaid’s character finds himself in a the middle of a classic hero storyline: his love interest has been kidnapped by the bad guys, and he’s taken it upon himself to find her.

He just might be the best guy for the job, though. Why? He can’t feel pain.

Cut to the string of wild action sequences that exude maximum physical agony for most people, like (spoiler!) Quaid’s nails getting ripped off, getting a full body tattoo, and even getting his hand stuffed in a deep fryer. Ouch.

It turns out, the condition Quaid’s character has in the movie is very real—but it’s not exactly what is portrayed in the movie.

Is the condition in Novocaine real?

It is, but it’s very unlikely you’ll come across it. The odds of being born with Congenital Insensitivity to Pain and Anhidrosis, or CIPA, is about 1 in 125 million.

“CIPA is a genetic disorder in which both parents must pass along a mutated gene to the child for the condition to develop,” says Pavan Tankha, D.O., Medical Director of Comprehensive Pain Recovery at the Cleveland Clinic Neurological Institute. About 50 percent of cases are found in children of consanguineous reproduction, or inbreeding.

The mutation inhibits the protein that help nerves sense and transmit pain to the brain. The same protein is also responsible for sweat production. Those with CIPA struggle with insensitivity to pain, reoccurring fever, little to no sweating, and repeated self-injury. It is often accompanied with mental retardation, according to research.

“The inability to feel pain is complete, which means whether a paper cut or burn, no sensation of pain is registered,” says Tankha. “What’s more, this inability to feel pain also translates to internal organs as well as the nerves of the head and face.”

Sweat production might vary. All patients do not sweat in the upper body, but the production across the rest of the body is different from person to person.

While it might sound great to not be able to feel pain, it can cause a lot of life-threatening issues. The average life span of someone with CIPA is 25 years, but varies greatly.

“The inability to sweat can lead to issues with younger children who can die of heat-related causes. There can be issues with infections that can spread because of the insensitivity to pain,” says Tankha. “Patients must always check for cuts or bruises because they don’t feel them. If those wounds get infected, they will also not feel that.”

While those with CIPA won’t feel physical pain, they are still very capable of feeling emotional pain.

At this point, there is no treatment, though research being conducted on genetic diseases is promising. The best course of action is proper symptom management, and frequent practitioner visits.

“An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure: regular doctor visits and staying vigilant can help prolong quality and length of life,” Tankha says.