Why do Eva pilots have to feel pain when their Eva gets hurt?

[Concerns]

In episode 8 when Evangelion Unit-02 gets eaten by Gaghiel, Shinji and Asuka don't feel any pain while still getting high synchronization rates.
However when Unit 02 gets hit by the Spear of Longinus in EoE not only does Asuka feel pain but she also gets physically injured.
It seems like that pilot feeling physical pain is completely unnecessary so couldn't the folks at Nerv simply turn that feature off or something?

[Archer]

Unit 2 doesn’t get physically damaged when it gets nommed by Gaghiel, presumably the armor is strong enough to prevent any real harm to the Eva body. As far as I remember anyways, the pilots only seem to feel real pain when the Evas suffer traumatic damage to their bodies and not just regular knocks and dings.

[Concerns]

Unit 2 doesn’t get physically damaged when it gets nommed by Gaghiel, presumably the armor is strong enough to prevent any real harm to the Eva body. As far as I remember anyways, the pilots only seem to feel real pain when the Evas suffer traumatic damage to their bodies and not just regular knocks and dings.

That makes sense.
Thanks.

[PSIWasHere]

One thing I never understood really was the fact that pilots who suffered damage from the Evangelion Units would receive bandages, considering the pain is all in their head as they aren't having it inflicted on them per se, why the need? Is it some sort of placebo? Another thing was Rei in the first episode, I know It's a set-up by Gendo and all that but I'm going to assume her bandages are from piloting again, If that is so, why is she bleeding?

[Concerns]

? Another thing was Rei in the first episode, I know It's a set-up by Gendo and all that but I'm going to assume her bandages are from piloting again, If that is so, why is she bleeding?

She has those bandages because of injuries she sustained during a failed activation experiment with Eva-00 prior to Episode 1.

One thing I never understood really was the fact that pilots who suffered damage from the Evangelion Units would receive bandages, considering the pain is all in their head as they aren't having it inflicted on them per se, why the need? Is it some sort of placebo?

The damage is actually inflicted on them. One example of this is in EoE when Asuka get's hit by a Replica Spears of Longinus and get's physically injured.
Poor Asuka

[PSIWasHere]

She has those bandages because of injuries she sustained during a failed activation experiment with Eva-00 prior to Episode 1.

Ah I see, I've only seen NGE once fully because I plan to watch it annually so I find some parts slip my memory, I didn't realise how close the activation sequence was to Shinji's arrival.

[Ozymansiaz1260]

The damage is actually inflicted on them. One example of this is in EoE when Asuka get's hit by a Replica Spears of Longinus and get's physically injured.
Poor Asuka

That only happened because Asuka was nearing a 400% sync ratio. She was becoming one with the Eva, which is why she was also able to make it raise its arm after the battery died. Under normal conditions the pilot doesn't take physical damage.

[Concerns]

That only happened because Asuka was nearing a 400% sync ratio. She was becoming one with the Eva, which is why she was also able to make it raise its arm after the battery died. Under normal conditions the pilot doesn't take physical damage.

I didn't know that, thanks.