At best, pain can be an annoyance and at worst it can be life-altering. Once pain is felt, we face the decision of either resting - which could mean limiting our independence and causing a psychological strain as well as physical - or continuing to go about our day and risking further injury/irritation to the source of pain. Of course, we feel the effects physically, but more than that, it can be isolating and depressing at times.
How can meditation help? Think ripping a plaster off - we're told to exhale as we do it. Of course, it doesn't stop us feeling the plaster pulling our poor skin off altogether! But it does help.