As a pain sensitive human, I think the closest approximation I can come up with of this condition is being very very drunk. If I recall correctly, one of the most common cause of death by hypothermia is alcohol. It's also much easier to get injured badly when you are drunk due to decreased pain sensitivity (complemented by decreased judgement). And even then, I guess this does not even come close to what this man must have been living with.
I had my wisdom teeth out a year or so ago, and after that I chewed big holes in my lip and tongue because I couldn't feel that I was biting on them. I imagine that's more or less what happens to them, all over their body, all the time.
Yep. Had knee surgery recently and they gave me something that basically turned off the nerves in my leg. The brace they put on it afterwards trapped the skin near my backside and caused a huge welt which I couldn't feel.
My God it hurt next day though.
EDIT: Thinking about it - I actually saw that the skin was trapped but didn't do anything about it because I couldn't feel it. Even though I knew I was on painkillers. It must be difficult to learn to respond to possible dangers without the pain motivator.
