British scientists have discovered that people experience far less pain when they touch a sore part of their body with their hand; so, a gentle rub may very well help pain go away, or at least decrease.

• The researchers investigated what is called the "thermal grill illusion" or TGI, where participants placed their index and ring fingers in warm water and the middle finger in cold water.
• With the TGI, or thermal grill illusion, the brain perceives the cool water as painfully hot.
• The study looked at heat perception after participants submerged their fingers in water of different temperatures and pressed their fingertips together in different combinations.
• This allowed scientists to study the experience of pain without actually causing any injury to those who participated in the studies.
• The scientists involved concluded that touching an apparently painful part of the body will affect the way pain signals travel to the brain.
• While touch may help an individual to cope with pain to some degree, perhaps by easing very mild pain from a minor injury, it is unlikely to completely eliminate the experience of pain.
• Pain is a very subjective experience, and many factors, including psychological and emotional factors, affect the way it is experienced.