Dexamethasone attenuates exercise-induced dental analgesia in man.

The effect of dexamethasone on exercise-induced adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) secretion and dental analgesia was studied in healthy human subjects. Different levels of exercise (100-200 W) were produced by a cycle ergometer. Dental pain thresholds were tested with a constant current stimulator. Dental pain thresholds were elevated with increasing work loads, and the elevation was still significant 30 min after the end of the exercise. Dexamethasone produced a significant reversal of exercise-induced pain threshold elevations concomitantly with the suppression of exercise-induced ACTH release. The results suggest that the corticotropin releasing factor-ACTH axis is involved in the exercise-induced analgesia.