Why do we instinctually shake our hands when we hurt them, like when we punch something?
In: Biology
This is the [gate control theory of pain](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gate_control_theory), which is basically that you can only feel so much at one time. If you hurt your hand, shaking it or squeezing it adds a new sensation to the pain, so some of that pain may get ignored to make room.
People tend to prefer small pain + shaking/squeezing over big pain.
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