"We can use this information as a springboard to develop new peptide-based analgesics that prevent this signaling complex from forming," said Bunnett.

“In an earlier study, we reported that for the analgesic ketamine, pain relief correlates negatively with how strongly connected two regions of the default mode network are before the drug’s administration,” explains Ueno.

Interestingly, menthol also has high medicinal value due to its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer effects.

"It's thought that acetaminophen exerts its analgesic effect through the endocannabinoid system, which is also very important for fetal development," Woodbury said.

Opioids or other analgesics often don’t work against it but one treatment that has shown some promise is ketamine, an anesthetic administered through infusions that can have psychedelic properties.