Drug info - What causes the numbness?

[Peppy]

Swim has searched the forum but could not find an answer. What exactly is it in coke that causes the numbness?

Swim has used coke on very rarely for about 1.5 years, say .5 gram once every six months (too expensive!) and has had the odd line here and there when its been on offer. Swim always gets the numbness and thinks its rather pleasant.

[rocksmokinmachine]

Cocaine is a local anaesthetic. It causes numbness by itself. It could also be a number of cuts with similar numbing effects such as lidocaine, novacaine etc.

[imyourlittlebare]

It stops action potentials (electrical signals due to ions coming and going from a neuron. Its complex.) from being sent from nerves. It is soluble through membranes so thats why it effects the nose and teeth and such where as if you dip your finger in it your finger wont get numb. Understand?

[Peppy]

Thats interesting, thanks for the responses, swim had been told it was the cut, but wanted to understand what was really going on. Swims friend had also mentioned that he thought the numbness was a sign of 'good stuff'.

[Homegrow3r]

Originally Posted by Peppy

Thats interesting, thanks for the responses, swim had been told it was the cut, but wanted to understand what was really going on. Swims friend had also mentioned that he thought the numbness was a sign of 'good stuff'.

There are a lot of dental style drugs with no buzz that cause numbness, lidocaine etc as already mentioned, so numbness is only one very unreliale marker.

[Benga]

yes. let's stay on topic, if people have more info on the biochemistry process involved in topical numbing effects, what imyourlittlebare was describing, please post it here.

[rocksmokinmachine]

These drugs (cocaine, lidocaine, xylocaine, novcaine, benzocaine) act on the peripheral nerves, causing that numbing feeling of the mucous mebranes (mouth, nose, etc.), those near the skin, and differ from drugs such as opiates which also help with pain, but act on the brain instead (they are termed "central" anesthetics). Here is a basic diagram to show how it works.

Reputation Comments on this post:

nice diagram