MEDHYA YOGA & WELLNESS

Most of what we think we know about pain isn’t entirely accurate. And so, this post may even surprise you.

We’ve all experienced pain. Whether it’s touching a hot stove, twisting an ankle, or cutting a finger, we assume that injury causes pain. But it’s more complicated than that.

Here’s a true story you might find fascinating. A construction worker in England stepped on a nail that pierced through his boot and stuck out the other side. He was in excruciating pain, staring in disbelief at the nail. Rushed to the hospital, he was given strong painkillers. When doctors removed his boot, they were shocked to find no injury. The nail had passed harmlessly between his toes without even a scratch.

Yet, he was in intense pain. The pain was real, just like all pain is real, but it occurred without any actual injury.

Why does this happen?

It’s because the brain creates pain based on perceived danger.

For the brain, pain equals danger. Pain is the body’s alarm system to keep us safe. For example, when you sprain your ankle while running, the pain is your brain’s way of saying, “You’re at risk of causing more damage. Stop and heal.” Without pain, you’d keep running, worsening the injury.

However, research shows that we can experience pain without any physical harm, simply because we think we’re injured.

In the case of the construction worker, the emotional shock of seeing the nail in his boot triggered his brain to create real pain, despite no physical injury.

A recent neuroscience study looked at people who had recently gone through difficult emotional experiences, such as breakups or divorces. These individuals underwent an MRI while being shown pictures of the person who caused their emotional distress. The researchers noted which parts of the brain were activated. Then, they applied an unpleasant stimulus, such as heat or a sharp object, to their skin. Astonishingly, the same areas of the brain lit up during both the emotional and physical stimuli.

This study highlights a key truth: pain is deeply interconnected with both the mind and body.

When we are emotionally distressed—whether rejected, intimidated, or grieving—the same areas of the brain are activated as when we experience physical injury.

The Takeaway:

Pain is a result of the brain sensing danger. This danger signal can come from two sources:

Physical danger: such as injury or a broken bone.

Emotional danger: such as distress, trauma, or rejection.

In either case, the brain may respond with real, physical pain. For the brain, physical pain is equal to emotional pain. And hence, whether the threat is emotional or physical, the brain’s danger signal can create pain in the body.