How would I increase my pain threshold?

How do you increase your pain threshold?

• Answer:

  The three basic strategies to increasing pain thresholds and tolerance are chemical, physical, and mental. Chemical strategies include things like opiates, anti-inflammatories, and anesthetics, but some novel strategies involving desensitizing compounds like capscaicin have worked for some. Physical strategies include physical exercise, cold water desensitization (induced hypothermia), and desensitization by repeated stimulation. Both aerobic and muscle training increase thresholds and tolerance. Mental strategies involve meditation, breathing techniques, hypnosis, or combinations and variations therof. Combinations of these strategies have been shown to be therapeutic for occupational therapy applications, chronic pain management, sports, and military training.