counterirritants

Counterirritants are substances applied to the skin to create mild irritation that distracts from or relieves deeper pain.

Menthol rubs and capsaicin creams work this way—the surface sensation masks underlying muscle aches or joint pain.

Figuratively, a counterirritant is anything that diverts attention from one problem by introducing another: The scandal served as a counterirritant to economic worries.