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Given that one may not intentionally injure herself - see Rambam (Chovel U’mazik 5:1) and Shulchan Aruch (Choshen Mishpat 420:31) who rules that it is forbidden for a person to injure herself. Moreover, many authorities have opined that the prohibition is a Torah Law (see Rashba 1:647; Tumim 27:1).

May one intentionally cause herself to experience pain by refusing painkilling medication offered during a medical procedure?

see also Bava Kama 90b

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Looks like it. Thanks. I wonder, though, why you think the prohibition on self-injury may extend to self-pain-infliction. But I suppose answers can deal with that issue. – msh210 Dec 13 '12 at 17:30
@msh210 that's basically my point, we're getting to a more granular definition of injure – nikmasi Dec 13 '12 at 17:43
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Well, you go beyond self-pain-infliction to self-pain-non-avoidance, actually. – msh210 Dec 13 '12 at 19:52
I don't see how allowing yourself to feel pain is injuring yourself (really translation is damaging). In short words: allowing yourself to feel pain is completely Mutar because it's actual damaging. – Hacham Gabriel Dec 13 '12 at 20:04
@HachamGabriel am I allowed to mentally abuse someone? Doesn't damage include tzar? – nikmasi Dec 13 '12 at 20:22
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2 Answers

Yes, it seems that the issur is to intentionally bring yourself pain. For Rav Moshe Fienstien explains in the Darash Moshe that Avraham Aviinu could have davened for the pain of his Brit Mila to go away but he refused because he loved the pain of the mitzva. It did not seem he was obligated to daven to get healed. Refusing to be healed and inflicting yourself are way different. Nacham Eesh Gam zu was in boils had no arms in lots of pain. You think he couldnt of healed it if he wanted to by praying to God. He wanted the atonement.

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Rav Nosson Tzvi Finkel refused to take medication for his Parkinson's because he felt it reduced his mental acuity and feared it would interfere with/cause him to forget his learning.

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This is interesting, but here though it is injury to avoid a different injury. – Double AA May 14 at 4:22

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