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What is pain tolerance? -

Pain tolerance is the amount of pain a person can reasonably handle. In other words, while the sensation might be painful, it is also tolerable.

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Higher pain tolerance -

An individual who has a higher pain tolerance can often handle more pain than someone with just an average or low tolerance for pain.

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Is pain tolerance the same as pain threshold? -

No, pain tolerance and pain threshold are two different things. Pain threshold is when a stimulus becomes painful and it varies from person to person.

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Example -

A pinch can be an example to demonstrate the difference between pain tolerance and threshold. The threshold would be a pinch that affects one person while having little or no effect on another. The threshold of pain would be the maximum number of pinches someone can withstand.

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What causes high pain tolerance? -

There is a wide range of factors that influence a person's tolerance for pain. 

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Genes -

It's suggested by researchers that genetic factors may play a role in pain. Some studies note substantial results while others say results can vary greatly depending on the type of pain and stimulus experienced by the person.

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Age -

Age might affect the pain that certain people experience. Usually, for example, children have a lower pain tolerance than adults.

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Gender -

The gender of a person may play a part in their level of pain tolerance. One study noted that pain "can be more variable in females who tend to report an increased pain sensitivity."

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Numerous factors -

Hormones, social factors, ad physical and neuronal differences in males and females can influence the difference in pain tolerance.

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Stress -

Stress can definitely have an influence on pain. It can lead a person to be more "on edge" or to expect more pain in general.

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Expectation -

The expectation of pain can play a role in how people experience pain. For example, someone who expects something to be more painful will likely experience it as such.

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Experience of pain -

A person's experience with certain types of pain can influence how they're experienced in the future. One example would be temperature.

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Different climates -

If you move to a climate that's very different from the one you're used to then you may experience temperature extremes more intensely. 

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Past experiences -

If you remember a specific experience as painful then it's likely you'll expect the same or worse in the future if it should happen again.

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Mental health -

Some with mental health issues including depression and anxiety might experience more feelings of pain.

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Chronic illnesses -

Chronic illnesses can lead to hypersensitivity to certain pains and reduce a person's overall pain tolerance.

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Other factors -

Other factors may impact how your body feels pain. From the drugs you take to a severe lack of sleep or insomnia or even certain lifestyle choices, pain tolerance can fluctuate. 

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Why some people have a lower pain tolerance -

Pain tolerance is an extremely complex experience that fluctuates from person to person. Things like a past experience might result in a lower tolerance in the future. 

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Ways to test pain tolerance -

It can be difficult to measure pain tolerance and the process can be controversial. There are,  however, several methods including dolorimetry, cold pressor, and pain intensity scales.

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Dolorimetry -

With dolorimetry, an instrument called a dolorimeter is used to assess both pain threshold and pain tolerance. Most dolorimeters can apply heat, pressure, or electrical stimulation to your body and subsequently report the level of pain you experience.

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Cold pressor method -

A popular test for measuring pain tolerance is known as the cold pressor method. Here, you submerge your hand in a bucket of ice-cold water and then tell the medical professional overseeing the test as soon as you start to feel pain. 

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Pain intensity scales -

Doctors and medical professionals will also use written questionnaires or scales in order to understand a person's pain level as well as how well a treatment is working. For example, they may ask you to rate your pain on a scale from one to 10. 

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Raising pain tolerance -

Those with a lower tolerance for pain may want to know if there's a way to increase it. The short answer is yes. However, while there may be ways to increase pain tolerance, it will happen over time and won't change drastically.

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Ways to increase your pain tolerance: Exercise -

Aerobic exercise, resistance training, and circuit training may help increase pain tolerance in those who are already quite healthy.

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Yoga -

Yoga might help decrease certain pain-driven responses by helping you be more aware of your mind and body.

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Biofeedback -

Biofeedback with a therapist might increase a person's pain awareness and help to gain control over the response. Biofeedback can include mental imaging, breathing exercises, and more.

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Vocalization -

Vocalizing pain by saying "ow" when you get hurt may actually help the pain to a certain degree. A study in The Journal of Pain found that if a subject said "ow" after they touched painfully cold water they could then withstand it longer.

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Risks of high pain tolerance -

Having a higher pain tolerance might prove useful in certain scenarios but there are also risks associated with it. Pain is our warning that something is wrong. If we have too high a tolerance then we might injure ourselves or fail to seek medical attention in a timely fashion. 

Sources: (Medical News Today) (Healthline) 

See also: How to relieve pain from trigger points

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