CIPA (Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis) is a rare, inherited condition where the patient is incapable of feeling physical pain or differences in temperature. While this might sound like a stroke of luck to anyone who's ever suffered chronic pain, or even anyone who's had a really bad toothache, it's an extremely dangerous condition that can potentially shorten the lifespan of the affected individual significantly. As numerous others have discussed, the experience of pain, while unpleasant, serves a purpose: it lets us know something is wrong, and often gives us a clue to what the problem might be. Take away that sensitivity, and the individual might never know they're sick or injured to begin with.

Because it's caused by a genetic mutation, CIPA is a lifelong condition and as such presents immediately. Due to their inability to sweat, more than half of all children born with CIPA die of overheating before the age of three. Those surviving are in danger of sustaining injuries, sometimes serious ones, in ways that someone who can feel pain would not; babies are given to chewing on their lips, tongues and extremities or scratching their eyes. Infections and bone fractures are not uncommon, and often go undiagnosed in their early stages because the patient is unaware of them. As such, it is important for the parents of CIPA patients (and for the patients themselves, once they become old enough to understand their condition) to routinely check for damage to their bodies and to avoid situations where overheating or injuries could occur.


[ooc; info from wikipedia & House 3x14 XD Please attribute any errors to my mistake & not Cameron's, and feel free to ping me ooc if you desire; but for IC purposes she ought to be correct. however I am not a doctor and can't swear this is perfectly accurate. <3

edit; sjslgfdsg when did it get this late /passes out |D]