Pain tolerance refers to the maximum level of pain that an individual can endure before seeking relief or experiencing significant discomfort. It varies widely among individuals and can be influenced by factors such as genetics, psychological state, and past experiences with pain. Different people may react differently to the same painful stimulus, which means that what is intolerable for one person might be manageable for another. Understanding pain tolerance is important in fields like medicine and psychology, as it helps professionals tailor pain management strategies to individual needs.