Painless (House)
Encyclopedia
"Painless" is the twelfth episode of the fifth season of House
and the ninety-eighth episode overall. It aired on January 19, 2009.
all over his body for many years, and no doctor could find the cause or treatment.
House, whose leg pain is worse than usual, takes up the case. The team starts with a 'pain profile' and a search of the patient's home. The chronic pain seems to be either from depression
showing psychosomatic symptoms or from quail
-related food poisoning. Multiple tests rule out all the suggestions, and Jeff's condition dramatically worsens. However, House finds out that Jeff blew air through the IV tube
in another attempt to kill himself. House refuses to let him die, and Jeff is put on suicide watch. The team now suspects an inherited enzyme deficiency, but during the test, the pain suddenly intensifies and jumps from his arm to his leg. In order to make sure whether the pain is physical or psychosomatic, the team performs a test in which the spine
is temporarily and completely blocked. House is puzzled when the patient reports he feels reduced pain during the procedure; he should either continue to feel the same pain or feel none at all.
Taub seems to take a certain distaste toward Jeff's actions, and repeatedly belittles him for trying to kill himself and reminding him of the damage his family would suffer. Kutner is intrigued and assumes someone in Taub's family has committed suicide and has left Taub with some emotional baggage
. Taub claims someone he worked with tried to kill himself and nearly destroyed his family, but Kutner believes that the person Taub talked about was Taub himself although he denies it.
Jeff's son appears to have a similar condition when he is found writhing and screaming in pain on the hospital floor. However, House asserts he is bluffing, and the son confesses that it was a diversion so that his father can drink isopropyl alcohol
and commit suicide. He breaks down saying he cannot stand to see his father living in pain. The team now believes that the painkillers
Jeff has been taking were misinterpreted by the stressed brain as pain. As a last resort, Jeff is taken off all his drugs so that his brain can 'recalibrate', but he begins to feel excruciating pain and shows no improvement over time. Jeff's wife begs House to let him go home and kill himself in peace, and House reluctantly agrees as he understands Jeff's pain.
Meanwhile, House has been having problems with plumbing at home. He refuses to accept that the leaks and the collapsed ceiling were caused by negligence and therefore not covered under insurance. House ultimately bribes the plumber to lie on his report, though later on House discovers that it was as a result of his own negligence (using the exposed pipe in his shower as a brace to get into/out of the bathtub). During the conversation, House has a revelation when the plumber scratches his own genital area. House diagnoses the patient with epilepsy
; it began in the muscles of the testicle
and 'rewired' the neuron
s of the related region in the brain too deep to be detected by EEG
. A test confirms it and Jeff is finally relieved of his intense pain.
Throughout the diagnosis, Thirteen continues the drug trial for her Huntington's disease
under Foreman's supervision. Thirteen admits to Foreman that she likes him, but refuses to have a relationship because of the impending symptoms of her disease. Thirteen gradually finds hope after witnessing another drug trial patient getting better, and agrees to date Foreman at the end of the episode. However, Foreman accidentally finds out that Thirteen has been on placebo
all along.
Cuddy
stays at home getting prepared for an inspection from the Division of Youth and Family Services. Although she eventually passes the inspection with ease, she is doubtful if she meets her own expectations in raising Rachel. Wilson advises her to stop creating ridiculous standards for herself and get help. At the end of the episode, Cuddy asks Cameron if she would like to take up her job as Dean of Medicine.
House (TV series)
House is an American television medical drama that debuted on the Fox network on November 16, 2004. The show's central character is Dr. Gregory House , an unconventional and misanthropic medical genius who heads a team of diagnosticians at the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in...
and the ninety-eighth episode overall. It aired on January 19, 2009.
Plot
Jeff is admitted to the hospital after a suicide attempt; his wife and son found him unconscious in a garage filled with car exhaust fumes and managed to resuscitate him. Jeff has been suffering from chronic and severe painPain
Pain is an unpleasant sensation often caused by intense or damaging stimuli such as stubbing a toe, burning a finger, putting iodine on a cut, and bumping the "funny bone."...
all over his body for many years, and no doctor could find the cause or treatment.
House, whose leg pain is worse than usual, takes up the case. The team starts with a 'pain profile' and a search of the patient's home. The chronic pain seems to be either from depression
Depression (mood)
Depression is a state of low mood and aversion to activity that can affect a person's thoughts, behaviour, feelings and physical well-being. Depressed people may feel sad, anxious, empty, hopeless, helpless, worthless, guilty, irritable, or restless...
showing psychosomatic symptoms or from quail
Quail
Quail is a collective name for several genera of mid-sized birds generally considered in the order Galliformes. Old World quail are found in the family Phasianidae, while New World quail are found in the family Odontophoridae...
-related food poisoning. Multiple tests rule out all the suggestions, and Jeff's condition dramatically worsens. However, House finds out that Jeff blew air through the IV tube
Intravenous therapy
Intravenous therapy or IV therapy is the infusion of liquid substances directly into a vein. The word intravenous simply means "within a vein". Therapies administered intravenously are often called specialty pharmaceuticals...
in another attempt to kill himself. House refuses to let him die, and Jeff is put on suicide watch. The team now suspects an inherited enzyme deficiency, but during the test, the pain suddenly intensifies and jumps from his arm to his leg. In order to make sure whether the pain is physical or psychosomatic, the team performs a test in which the spine
Spinal cord
The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular bundle of nervous tissue and support cells that extends from the brain . The brain and spinal cord together make up the central nervous system...
is temporarily and completely blocked. House is puzzled when the patient reports he feels reduced pain during the procedure; he should either continue to feel the same pain or feel none at all.
Taub seems to take a certain distaste toward Jeff's actions, and repeatedly belittles him for trying to kill himself and reminding him of the damage his family would suffer. Kutner is intrigued and assumes someone in Taub's family has committed suicide and has left Taub with some emotional baggage
Emotional baggage
Emotional baggage can be defined as 'Painful memories, mistrust and hurt carried around from past sexual or emotional rejection'.It is an image of 'a big sack that you carry around with you at all times...[with] every disappointment, trauma, and wrong that you've ever experienced....This image, the...
. Taub claims someone he worked with tried to kill himself and nearly destroyed his family, but Kutner believes that the person Taub talked about was Taub himself although he denies it.
Jeff's son appears to have a similar condition when he is found writhing and screaming in pain on the hospital floor. However, House asserts he is bluffing, and the son confesses that it was a diversion so that his father can drink isopropyl alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol
Isopropyl alcohol is a common name for a chemical compound with the molecular formula C3H8O. It is a colorless, flammable chemical compound with a strong odor...
and commit suicide. He breaks down saying he cannot stand to see his father living in pain. The team now believes that the painkillers
Analgesic
An analgesic is any member of the group of drugs used to relieve pain . The word analgesic derives from Greek an- and algos ....
Jeff has been taking were misinterpreted by the stressed brain as pain. As a last resort, Jeff is taken off all his drugs so that his brain can 'recalibrate', but he begins to feel excruciating pain and shows no improvement over time. Jeff's wife begs House to let him go home and kill himself in peace, and House reluctantly agrees as he understands Jeff's pain.
Meanwhile, House has been having problems with plumbing at home. He refuses to accept that the leaks and the collapsed ceiling were caused by negligence and therefore not covered under insurance. House ultimately bribes the plumber to lie on his report, though later on House discovers that it was as a result of his own negligence (using the exposed pipe in his shower as a brace to get into/out of the bathtub). During the conversation, House has a revelation when the plumber scratches his own genital area. House diagnoses the patient with epilepsy
Epilepsy
Epilepsy is a common chronic neurological disorder characterized by seizures. These seizures are transient signs and/or symptoms of abnormal, excessive or hypersynchronous neuronal activity in the brain.About 50 million people worldwide have epilepsy, and nearly two out of every three new cases...
; it began in the muscles of the testicle
Testicle
The testicle is the male gonad in animals. Like the ovaries to which they are homologous, testes are components of both the reproductive system and the endocrine system...
and 'rewired' the neuron
Neuron
A neuron is an electrically excitable cell that processes and transmits information by electrical and chemical signaling. Chemical signaling occurs via synapses, specialized connections with other cells. Neurons connect to each other to form networks. Neurons are the core components of the nervous...
s of the related region in the brain too deep to be detected by EEG
Electroencephalography
Electroencephalography is the recording of electrical activity along the scalp. EEG measures voltage fluctuations resulting from ionic current flows within the neurons of the brain...
. A test confirms it and Jeff is finally relieved of his intense pain.
Throughout the diagnosis, Thirteen continues the drug trial for her Huntington's disease
Huntington's disease
Huntington's disease, chorea, or disorder , is a neurodegenerative genetic disorder that affects muscle coordination and leads to cognitive decline and dementia. It typically becomes noticeable in middle age. HD is the most common genetic cause of abnormal involuntary writhing movements called chorea...
under Foreman's supervision. Thirteen admits to Foreman that she likes him, but refuses to have a relationship because of the impending symptoms of her disease. Thirteen gradually finds hope after witnessing another drug trial patient getting better, and agrees to date Foreman at the end of the episode. However, Foreman accidentally finds out that Thirteen has been on placebo
Placebo
A placebo is a simulated or otherwise medically ineffectual treatment for a disease or other medical condition intended to deceive the recipient...
all along.
Cuddy
Lisa Cuddy
Dr. Lisa Cuddy, M.D., is a fictional character on the Fox medical drama House. She is portrayed by Lisa Edelstein. Cuddy was the Dean of Medicine and hospital administrator of the fictional Princeton-Plainsboro Teaching Hospital in New Jersey. She also becomes House's love interest through the...
stays at home getting prepared for an inspection from the Division of Youth and Family Services. Although she eventually passes the inspection with ease, she is doubtful if she meets her own expectations in raising Rachel. Wilson advises her to stop creating ridiculous standards for herself and get help. At the end of the episode, Cuddy asks Cameron if she would like to take up her job as Dean of Medicine.