I think this is masochism. Food doesn’t leave any external marks so these people go with food.

I do lots of very spicy food. I think my tongue has literally been damaged over time, so stuff I don’t register as being even the slightest bit spicy are unbearably hot to others, and I have to really ratchet it up.

But what I’ve found at lots of Asian restaurants is that the staff assumes my pale, white ass can’t take real heat. I ask for “5-peppers” hot and they’re like “We’ll start you with a 2.” It’s annoying. I’ve never been served food that’s “too hot” in a restaurant. So I kinda understand these exaggerated descriptions people give on food orders.

On the other hand you have the bozos that order extra extra spicy and then whine that they can’t eat it. That’s likely something everyone who works in an Asian restaurant has experienced multiple times.