Final answer:
The substitution of sensory stimuli for pain-producing stimuli, such as using capsaicin from hot peppers, is an established pain management technique that manipulates nociceptive pathways to alter the perception of pain.
Step-by-step explanation:
Substituting sensory stimuli for pain-producing stimuli is a technique used in pain management. Pain is a somatosensory signal transduced by free nerve endings known as nociceptors which respond to potentially damaging stimuli such as mechanical, chemical, or thermal events that can cause tissue damage. On the other hand, sensory like temperature detected by thermoreceptors can be used to alter pain perception. For instance, capsaicin—the active component found in hot peppers—binds to a transmembrane ion channel in nociceptors and remains bound long enough to decrease the ability of other stimuli to elicit pain sensations, making it effective as a topical analgesic. Therefore, based on this information, the correct answer to the question 'Substituting sensory stimuli for pain-producing stimuli' is that it is a pain management technique (c).