Hi Dan, the brain certanly controls pain ! Carefully read chapter 7 of Doidge's first book ' The brain that changes itself'. It works for me: back itch, or any totally gone, pain in feet and lower legs improving. Repetitively it is not good enough, it must dominate your thinking and become the person you are. You dominate the problem, not the other way. I simply will never ever scratch an itching skin on any part of my body.With pain., I do not take any medication, but, as per chapter 7, I change my thought. You can only have one thought in your mind at the same time. Only humans have the choice, and that is what I do. Reread the chapter and my best wishes. What you want out of life is our choice, and dominant thinking of what we want out of life, and must be a non negotiatable.