From The Brain Book
Just how much you respond to pain depends partly on the cingulate area – the inner part of the big valley that runs across the top of the brain from front to back.
People can develop the ability to tone down activity in this region by learning to shift attention away from the pain stimulus, creating a painkilling effect.
Burns victims experience pain relief when using virtual reality glasses to immerse themselves in a cooling environment – this distracts attention away from pain.
