Pain overwhelms the body. From mild papercuts to breaking a leg, the sensation of physically experiencing pain is a massive trigger for the rest of the body. The pain is the result of signals to the brain from the central nervous system, telling the brain that the body is uncomfortable for whatever reason it may be. The brain interprets these signals so that it knows what chemicals and enzymes to send to the site of the pain. Injuries trigger inflammation from white blood cells to start the healing process, but every part of this process is curated by the brain.

While much of the attention on pain has to do with the physical sensation, pain can also be incredibly distracting and difficult to overcome. When the mind is focused on the physical sensation of pain, it is hard to focus on anything else. The brain has to be fully engaged in solving this problem, pulling energy and resources away from other areas of cognition. It has to start working overtime to solve the problem, which is only made worse when the pain is chronic. Alleviating the pain can’t just be about taking away discomfort; it also keeps the mind from being able to consider anything else. All of the signals from the nervous system line up to tell the brain to do...