Pain is a very useful sensation for a living creature: it's our brains' way of telling us when we might be in danger, or if something is bad for us.
In extreme circumstances, like in the stress of a warzone, our brains have the ability to temporarily switch off our pain receptors to enable us to survive. On the flip side, millions of people around the world suffer from chronic pain - pain that won't go away.
Dr Dan Baumgardt is a lecturer in neuroscience and physiology at the University of Bristol, with experience working as a general practitioner.
He joins Emile Donovan from the UK to demystify pain.
Photo: 123branex/123RF
