This paper considers the ways in which a metaphor that was first introduced in an article on pain mechanisms published in Science has been adapted and developed in a selection of texts that can be broadly described as 'educational': a neuroscience website aimed at children, a self-help guide for chronic pain sufferers, and a book aimed at medical professionals. The paper discusses both the advantages and potential disadvantages of these developments. As such, this paper aims to make a contribution to a growing body of research on metaphor in actual contexts of use, and particularly on variation in the use of metaphor across genres that are aimed at different audiences.