An adrenaline rush is the fight or flight response of the adrenal gland

Adrenal gland

In mammals, the adrenal glands are endocrine glands that sit atop the kidneys; in humans, the right suprarenal gland is triangular shaped, while the left suprarenal gland is semilunar shaped...

, in which it releases adrenaline

Epinephrine

Epinephrine is a hormone and a neurotransmitter. It increases heart rate, constricts blood vessels, dilates air passages and participates in the fight-or-flight response of the sympathetic nervous system. In chemical terms, adrenaline is one of a group of monoamines called the catecholamines...

 (epinephrine). When releasing adrenaline, one's body releases dopamine

Dopamine

Dopamine is a catecholamine neurotransmitter present in a wide variety of animals, including both vertebrates and invertebrates. In the brain, this substituted phenethylamine functions as a neurotransmitter, activating the five known types of dopamine receptors—D1, D2, D3, D4, and D5—and their...

 which can act as a natural pain killer. An adrenaline rush causes the muscles to perform respiration at an increased rate improving strength. It also works with the nervous system to interpret impulses that trigger selective glands.

The phrase may also refer to:

• Adrenaline Rush (album)
  Adrenaline Rush (album)
  Adrenaline Rush, released in 1997, is the third studio album by rap artist Twista. It was his second album nationally released, after his previous effort Resurrection was shelved outside of Chicago. The album had guest artists: Johnny P, Liffy Stokes, Miss Kane, Malif, Mayze, and Turtle Banxx...
  
  , the 1997 album by rap artist Twista
  Twista
  Carl Terrell Mitchell , better known by his stage name Twista, is an American rapper. He is known for once holding the title of fastest rapper in the world according to Guinness World Records in 1992, being able to pronounce 598 syllables in 55 seconds...
  
  
• Adrenaline Rush 2007, the 2007 album by Twista
• Adrenaline Rush: Science of Risk
  Adrenaline Rush (film)
  Adrenaline Rush: The Science of Risk is a 2002 IMAX documentary film that explores the human biology behind risk-taking—why it gives some people such a powerful physical lift, and why the human mind and body craves danger. In addition, filmmaker Marc Fafard presents an up-close look at two of the...
  
  , an IMAX
  IMAX
  IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of proprietary cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems...
  
   film about Base jumping
  BASE jumping
  BASE jumping, also sometimes written as B.A.S.E jumping, is an activity that employs an initially packed parachute to jump from fixed objects...
  
  
• Adrenaline Rush (novel), the 2009 novel by Lee Harris
• Adrenaline Rush, an energy drink
  Energy drink
  Energy drinks are beverages whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar and caffeine they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulants and vitamins....
  
   brand
• Adrenaline Rush (band), a rock band

See also

• Adrenaline junkie
• Acute stress reaction
  Acute stress reaction
  Acute stress reaction is a psychological condition arising in response to a terrifying or traumatic event...
  
  
• Panic attack
  Panic attack
  Panic attacks are periods of intense fear or apprehension that are of sudden onset and of relatively brief duration. Panic attacks usually begin abruptly, reach a peak within 10 minutes, and subside over the next several hours...
  
  
• Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
• Rest and digest
• Stressor
  Stressor
  Stressor is a chemical or biological agent, environmental condition, an external stimulus or an event that causes stress to an organism. An event that triggers the stress response may include for example:...
  
  
• Tend and befriend
  Tend and befriend
  Tend and befriend is a behavior exhibited by some animals, including humans, when under threat. It refers to protection of offspring and seeking out the social group for mutual defense . The tend-and-befriend idea was originally developed by Dr. Shelley E...
  
  
• Vasoconstriction
  Vasoconstriction
  Vasoconstriction is the narrowing of the blood vessels resulting from contraction of the muscular wall of the vessels, particularly the large arteries, small arterioles and veins. The process is the opposite of vasodilation, the widening of blood vessels. The process is particularly important in...