Woo! Sensory overload! Intense, direct pain in a localized area helps to drown out widespread, decentralized pain.

Basically, one can focus on that one pain and prevent the brain from processing the fact that other parts of the body are also sending signals of pain, allowing one the illusion of momentary relief of that pain.

Also known as “diffuse noxious inhibitory control” or “conditioned pain modulation”.

The human brain is just a meat computer and it can be hacked.