4 min readNew DelhiJun 9, 2026 12:00 AM IST
Neurosurgeon Dr Mazda Turel said in a video that brain surgery is mostly painless. Speaking on the thesecretsaucepod podcast, he explained, “Sometimes you can operate on patients while they are awake. The brain feels no pain. 95% of patients after a craniotomy, which is the opening of the skull, and putting it back while doing an operation, don’t complain of headache.”
Further, in a post, he shared, “Brain surgery sounds painful, but pain does not work that simply. The brain itself does not feel pain. In certain cases, surgeons can operate while the patient is awake because the pain-sensitive part is not the brain tissue, but the surrounding structures, like the scalp and skull. Those areas can be numbed with local anaesthesia.”
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.
Explaining the science behind this, Dr Narendra Motarwar, Consultant, Neurosurgery, Jupiter Hospital, says the fear surrounding brain surgery is often psychological rather than medical.
According to Dr Motarwar, the brain itself does not contain pain receptors, which means it cannot directly sense pain the way skin, muscles, or nerves do. “People naturally associate brain surgery with severe pain because the idea of opening the skull sounds frightening. But medically, the pain-sensitive structures are mainly the scalp, skull, and surrounding tissues, all of which are carefully numbed during surgery,” Dr Motarwar explains.
He adds that this is why certain neurosurgical procedures can even be performed while the patient remains awake.
How patients stay awake during brain surgery
Dr Motarwar explains that in procedures such as awake craniotomies, commonly performed for brain tumours or epilepsy surgery — patients may stay conscious so surgeons can monitor critical functions like speech, movement, memory, or vision in real time. “Local anesthesia numbs the scalp and skull, while mild sedation helps patients remain calm and comfortable. Once surgeons reach the brain tissue itself, patients do not feel pain,” he says.
According to Dr Motarwar, awake brain surgery helps surgeons protect important brain areas and reduce the risk of long-term neurological damage. The neurosurgeon also notes that many people wrongly assume brain surgery always results in unbearable headaches or prolonged suffering after the operation. “Some discomfort may occur because of the incision, stitches, or muscle handling around the skull, but modern surgical techniques and pain-management methods have significantly improved recovery experiences,” Dr Motarwar says.
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He explains that many patients are often surprised that recovery feels less painful than they had imagined before surgery.
Why spine surgery hurt more
At the same time, Dr Motarwar points out that spine surgery can sometimes feel more painful during recovery than brain surgery itself. Unlike brain tissue, the spine contains multiple pain-sensitive nerves, muscles, ligaments, and joints that can become inflamed after surgery.
“Spinal procedures involve tissues that are highly sensitive to pain. Muscle stiffness, nerve irritation, and inflammation can make recovery more uncomfortable compared to many brain surgeries,” Dr Motarwar explains.
He emphasises that the intensity of pain after any surgery depends more on which tissues are involved rather than how dramatic the procedure appears visually. “The biggest misconception is that the most complex-looking surgery must automatically be the most painful. Pain is determined by the presence of pain receptors, not by how intimidating the surgery sounds,” Dr Motarwar says.
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According to Dr Motarwar, greater public awareness about how pain works in neurosurgery may help reduce fear and anxiety among patients who require brain procedures in the future.
DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.