What is the worst physical pain possible?

[Crystal Clarity]

A good friend and I got into a conversation about physically painful things recently, because her husband is trying to pass a kidney stone. Since this sort of thing can be highly subjective, I thought a poll might be interesting.

I've heard that passing Kidney Stones can be pretty bad. On par w/childbirth even, but that nothing surpasses the pain of a serious burn.

What do you think?

[madrchsod]

1. heart attack

[Crystal Clarity]

2. Oh yeah, yikes!

I hadn't even thought to go there. I hope you (or whoever experianced it) is doing better now. :hug:

[madrchsod]

5. that was a while ago....the problem with heart attack pain is...

you know you maybe dieing..kidney stones makes you feel like dieing. :rofl:

hug back :hug:

[BillStein]

8. when they ask me to rate pain

from one to ten, I use the heart attack as ten.... but that was 14 years ago, so I ain't complaining!

[DainBramaged]

39. Teeth-grinding, fear striking pain, been there. Headaches toothaches and kidney stones

aren't life-threatening. That's what makes a heart attack worse. And I had all three of the others.

[Crystal Clarity]

49. Speaking of bruxism

I've had a terrible problem w/it all of my life. When I was a teenager, the family dentist made me a mouthguard that set my parents back nearly $300!!! A lot of money even NOW, so though it was ridiculously uncomfortable to wear, I tried. I really did, but just couldn't sleep w/the damn thing in.

Flash forward 20+ years and the grinding was really beginning to take a toll. I ended up buying a $20 mouthguard at a local drugstore and the thing fits and works like a charm! Other then the 'ick' factor of wearing the thing all night, it doesn't disturb my sleep at all! I of course give it mega washing w/anti-bacterial soap every day. A pain-the-a**, but well worth the piece of mind, knowing that I'm not grinding my teeth to nubs!

Just thought I'd pass this on in case you aren't aware of these mouthguards. I forget the brandname, but they are the kind that you can mold to fit your bite. I've seen them at Wal-Mart if your local drugstore doesn't have the product. I highly recommend trying them if you still grind your teeth. Good luck!

[DainBramaged]

50. I was referring to the pain of a heart attack, you clench your teeth so tight

you can break them, but thanks for the tip!!!

[Crystal Clarity]

52. Ooops! Well I hope it helps someone else then.

Gosh I couldn't imagine pain so bad that it would cause someone to do that, and yet live to speak about it. I'm glad some of the DUers who've been through it are still here w/us though!

[kentauros]

3. Well, I've had kidney stones and absessed teeth, but

I think sciatic pain is the worst, at least in my experience. The first day is the worst, usually so debilitating that nothing helps and you just have to find some way to deal with the pain until you can get to a chiropractor. Short of general anesthesia (and who can get that?) pain medications do nothing, whether they're OTC or prescription.

This kind of pain lasts weeks, even with chiropractic therapy, so you have to get used to less sleep, muscle cramps, more time to get dressed, and nightly epsom soaks in the tub. All in all, it's serious, long-lasting pain that also seriously disrupts your normal lifestyle.

I've been told by others that have kidney stones that a beer a day will help pass the stones. Some doctors believe there's something in beer that helps dissolve them, but it may also just be the additional fluids, too. Encouraging peristalsis is important, too, and I know peppermint (tea) is good for that :)

[Crystal Clarity]

9. Yup, that can be very bad also

I've heard it described as a searing hot 'electrical' type pain radiating down from the lower back into one leg. My SO had it and took off from work for it. That's when I KNEW it had to be bad. He NEVER misses time.

Just as I was helping him get ready for the emergency doctor's appointment, he said it felt like something had just sort of "popped" back into place. He said he was fine immediately after that but I made him see the doc anyway. Doctor said it was Sciatica

I guess I should've added alot of other, 'others' to this poll!

[kentauros]

17. You're only allowed ten choices, so you did fine :)

As for your SO, it sounds more like a disk had moved. I've known people with that problem, too, and it's just as painful. Did he get therapy for it?

There is a machine that some chiropractors use and my sister has had that therapy. Basically, it's akin to the old torture device of The Rack, in that it stretched your spine in a similar, though controlled, fashion. She's said it took weeks off of a normal therapy routine and she bet better faster. If only my chiropractor had that equipment...

Two of the biggest reasons for it happening at all are either being too sedentary, or being on your feet all day long. The sciatic nerve gets inflamed near the spine and hip area, causing the pain to spread as far as the ankle and heel. The last time I had it really bad, the pain also induced major cramping in my calves. So, a double whammy! :o

[MorningGlow]

4. Dunno--haven't suffered most of the stuff in the list (thank goodness)

but I can say that childbirth isn't as bad as "they" say it is. I did it with no meds and lived. Just felt like menstrual cramps x 1,000,000. Mr. MG would say kidney stones, hands down. He has had some whoppers, so I'll take his word for it.

[SCantiGOP]

27. kidney stones

My daughter was in the emergency room a few years back with kidney stones. The nurse commented that she had had two children and one case of kidney stones, and she would take the childbirthing pain over the stones in a minute.

[Redstone]

6. Working under the dashboard of a car.

Redstone

[Crystal Clarity]

12. That's it? After all you've been through?

Or were you experiencing all of those things while working under the car dashboard? :shrug:

You must have a very high pain threshold Redstone!!!

[MiddleFingerMom]

35. You made me bark!!!

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To get at the fusebox of my long-gone RV, I had to slide my butt over onto my
driver's seat (no driver's side door) with me on my back (and upside down) and
SQUEEZE under the steering wheel, employing all the skills of a contortionist,
trapeze artist, spelunker, and boneless chicken.
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Headache-inducing -- and once I thought I was STUCK and no one was going
to be near for many hours. Terrifying.
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[era veteran]

7. shattered kneecap

[EOTE]

10. Bingo, that's the one. Anything pertaining to your knee doing things it shouldn't.

I've passed multiple stones, they weren't pleasant, but I also wouldn't say excruciating. I've gotten third degree burns and they hurt like hell as well. For me, root canals are a walk in the park.

The most excruciating pain of my life, beyond a shadow of a doubt, is landing improperly and tearing all of the cartilage in my knee. The pain is just indescribable. I was at school and about 5 seconds after it happened, the great bulk of my school was huddled around me to see what could possibly cause someone to shout that many profanities, that loudly and that tortuously. When the EMTs finally got there, I was screaming at them to knock me out, shoot me up with morphine, anything to stop the pain. When I was 13, I had my shin shattered open with rusty nails. That was a pleasant memory compared to fucking up my knee. I wouldn't wish that kind of pain on anyone.

[Crystal Clarity]

14. Wow. I'll take ev's and your word for it then.

Hope I never have to find out myself! :scared:

[Pool Hall Ace]

33. ACK!! That even *sounds* painful.

:(

[seaglass]

11. i've given birth to 2 children and fractured my shoulder 2 weeks ago.

the shoulder was definitely worse.

never had any of the other stuff so i can't really vote.

[Crystal Clarity]

19. Ouch. My SO did that as a kid

He was out sledding and crashed into a tree. That shoulder still bothers him to this day.

I hope you feel better soon and that they did a good job putting you back togethor. If you say it's worse then childbirth then it's gotta be bad! :hug:

[seaglass]

28. thanks! it wasn't displaced so i am hoping it will heal just like brand new.

everyone does say there is a built in forgetfulness of childbirth pain otherwise no one would have more than one so that could be the case :-) but i never felt like both passing out and throwing up when i was having my babies (well i did throw up a little while i was in labor but only because my husband breathed his tunafish breath in my face during a contraction, not due to pain...haha).

[Brickbat]

13. I've gone through childbirth twice and dealt with severe back pain from sciatica.

Sciatica was worse.

[TZ]

15. I know several people, who've had multiple problems from this list

but they will all give you the same answer: KIDNEY STONES.

[REP]

44. I've had four at least once (migraines and stones recur) yet I answered other

You haven't lived until you've had renal surgery. Ow.

[Rabrrrrrr]

I'd say being anally raped by Rush Limbaugh, but his dick is probably so small

that there'd be only the emotional and spiritual pain.

[Crystal Clarity]

21. !

OK that does it Mr!!!... Here's some physical pain for ya then :spank: With that visual you just gave me, I don't even need to call in Skittles!

[Glorfindel]

16. Epididymitis (like being kicked in the testicles but the pain NEVER stops)

If there's anything worse, I don't want to experience it.

[Mojambo]

26. Holy shit.

I don't see how a person could live with that kind of pain.

[MiddleFingerMom]

37. BTDT -- needed surgery.

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When I was in the recovery room, they let my ex (not my ex yet at that
point) peek her head in the door to say "hi".
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Groggy/dimwitted as I was, I fulfilled my promise to myself by answering
the "Are you OK?" questions with "I think they slipped" in a high, squeaky
voice.
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The look on her face almost made it all worthwhile.
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No, it didn't.
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They had shaved me from chest to knees for the surgery (this was WAY
before body-shaving was trendy) and, when I walked in our front door,
she literally didn't let me get all the way inside before she demanded
and/or BEGGED me to "DROP 'EM!!!" She nearly fell over laughing, and
when I peevishly asked... she answered, "Because you look like the
most well-endowed 3-year-old EVER!!!!"
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I think you can see why I loved that woman.
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[Glorfindel]

40. I also had surgery. Fortunately, it wasn't bi-lateral

And your ex-wife sounds really, really cool. :hi:

[Rabrrrrrr]

18. Being kicked in the balls. And back pain.

Holy crap. I've been kicked in the balls. I've had my pelvis broken from being run over by a semi. I've had tooth pain from a tooth that needed a root canal. I've had root canals (though I have to say, in all honesty, I had a dentist who made the root canal procedure almost like nothing more than accidentally chewing on an olive pit that you didn't know was still in the olive).

But I've never felt pain like the back pain I had last summer when I did something to my back while bicycling. Goddamn, that was painful. Quality-of-life-destroyingly painful.

Fucking hell painful.

[pinboy3niner]

20. I'd say gunshot wounds, but...

...I know someone who went through 20 hours of labor with no anesthesia, leaving her with two black eyes from the trauma. THAT had to be incredibly painful.

[Crystal Clarity]

23. I had no meds or anesthesia either

Didn't get 2 black eyes from it, but wished I could've given my ex-husband a couple of them. Whining about his hangover, and wondering aloud if he could keep the scrubs they gave him for his trip into the delivery room w/me... :eyes:

Sounds as if you were at least empathetic though. I would've much rather had you there! :-)

[Crazy Dave]

22. That I have experienced was kidney stones

But let me tell you, once they gave me some morphine at the hospital I was feeling fine. But don't let the effects run out before your next dose.

[LeftinOH]

24. I had a root canal without any pain reliever- head splitting pain..

but it was blessedly swift. There are probably far worse things, though.

[Mojambo]

25. Worst pain I ever had was an abscessed tooth

It absolutely psychologically broke me.

Only time I've ever seriously considered suicide.

[LynneSin]

29. Other: Menstrual Cramps

You mean are wusses compared to us women. I doubt a man could survive one month dealing with Menstrual Cramps.

[pinboy3niner]

31. We deal with them, too...

...indirectly. And that's painful enough (especially the thrown objects)! :)

[LynneSin]

32. Trust me you have no idea - don't even go there

If men had menstrual cramps I swear this world would be a much more peaceful, harmonous place to live. Men have no understanding of pain

[Skittles]

60. CLUELESS

you are completely CLUELESS

[JCMach1]

30. 1cm Kidney stone +surgical stinting...

I really really don't want to talk about it...!

Worse than...

All the broken bones I have had (fingers, toes, ribs and my leg in two places with a crushed foot at the same time)
Pleurisy
Herniated discs in lower back and neck (and yeah those last a lot longer)
Removal of impacted surgical pins from a calcaneo cuboid bone with nothing but local
8hr+ tattoo session over the spine
3rd degree burn on my leg

I know my wife will argue with me that it is childbirth... but let's talk when she gets a stone.

[REP]

43. The stent feels like it's made from barbed wire

Especially when the ureter has been torn.

[JCMach1]

47. I had it for 8 days that drove me out of my mind... I have heard horror stories

where people have this for months! months!

Oh, and did I mention the underprescribe painkillers in the UAE as it goes against Islam and government policy!

I had never before had my rational mind tell me... kill youself, end the pain.

That scared the frak out of me.

[REP]

53. Only 14 days (torn ureter); felt longer - double J stent made of fire and broken glass

They had to get the 'scope, laser, all trochers, everything not just into the ureter (nor the urethra, but the ureter, which connects the kidney to the bladder) but past it into the bottom of the kidney (I had a staghorn forming) so of course the ureter tore. The stent had a string dangling out the end of my urethra ... and I'm a girl. Double fucking ow.

[JCMach1]

64. I think for most guys they dangle the end inside the bladder

which led to irritation and a need to constantly pee in addition to everything else...

[TZ]

34. I just remembered one..relatively short but VERY painful

Bone Marrow Biopsy done under local anaesthesia. They have a huge needle that they have to stick into THE BONE to numb the bone itself, even then, when they remove the marrow, it feels like fire coming out...Thank goodness the second time I had to have this procedure done, it was under general anaesthesia and I didn't feel a thing till afterwards..

[jobycom]

36. My three experiences are migraines, gallstones, and an ingrown toenail.

While the ingrown toenail itself doesn't sound scary, I dropped a heavy item on it and shattered my toe, causing me to black out.

Worst of the three was the migraines. I've seen other people who claimed they were having migraines that had something different than what I did. I couldn't talk when I had these. I couldn't stand. I couldn't see the room. It hurt to look, it hurt to close my eyes. I used to vomit from the pain. Yes, literally, vomit until I dry-heaved. The most fun part was when the doctors couldn't find anything and claimed I was faking (I was a teenager). Finally I went to a nutrtionist who thought MSG was triggering them. I avoided MSG and they dropped from once a week to a few times a year. I gave up meat finally, and never had another one.

So of my experiences, that was the worst. I hope to never learn about the others, or to find something worse. Although right now I have a hacking cough and have pulled an abdominal muscle, and that is absolutely not much fun. Piece of cake compared to the migraines, though. And to the gallstone, for that matter.

[spinbaby]

38. What brought on this morbid subject?

I've had a kidney stone, but it was a minor one, so may not count. Natural childbirth wasn't actually too bad. I think the worst pain I've experienced was with a kidney infection I had as a child. It was the 60s and they didn't give me anything for pain, not even an aspirin. That was pretty horrific. I had major abdominal surgery last week and waking up from that also rated very high on the pain scale, but it was quickly taken care of.

[csziggy]

41. Burns because the nerve endings are exposed

But really whatever pain is currently being experienced is the worst. While you are hurting, the remembered pain from any other period of pain is just a poor shadow to what you are feeling right now.

And I've had third degree burns, broken bones, concussions, and injured back, shoulders, knees, ankles, and hands to compare. Never had kidney stones or gall bladder problems but had something we could never diagnose that seemed to be appendicitis.

The pain that I remember the most was when the horse bit my breast and crushed one third of it severely. That pain literally knocked me to my knees once the actual incident was over and the adrenaline rush was over.

[REP]

42. Kidney surgery makes kidney stones look like a vacation

And I've had a kidney biopsy and and a stone removed from the lower pole of my left kidney. I pass stones every 30-45 days.

Ruptured ovarian cyst is pretty fucking awful, too.

[NewJeffCT]

45. Getting stung by a box jellyfish

Stings of Chironex fleckeri have several very severe consequences, due to its cardiotoxic (effect on the heart), neurotoxic (damage to the nerves) and dermatonecrotic (effect on the skin) components.

What does that mean? To start with it is not uncommon for victims who have had extensive contact (three metres of tentacles touching the skin can be enough to be fatal) to experience cardiac arrest within minutes.

Even if that is not the case the pain from a sting is so excruciating and overwhelming that a victim can immediately go into shock, fatal if the victim is swimming alone. Someone stung while swimming will rarely be able to make it back to shore on their own.

The tentacles stick tightly to the skin and may continue to release venom if not treated correctly, making things worse. Severe stings can lead to necrosis of the affected tissue (which means it gets eaten away...), which is where the nasty scars come from.

http://www.outback-australia-travel-secrets.com/box-jellyfish.html

[Hell Hath No Fury]

46. It's a tie for me -

between kidney stone and ruptured ovarian cysts. The first had me bent over my bed for four days, unable to have anything touch my back (it felt like coral being dragged down my back), and the latter had me writhing on the kitchen floor, unable to walk (it felt like battery acid had filled my abdomen).

[fizzgig]

48. ear infection for me

i haven't experienced any of the things on the list, but i got my first and only ear infection when i was 19 and i thought i was going to die. i spent most of the time curled up on my bed, bawling from the pain that nothing would stop. it felt like fiery nails were being repeatedly jabbed into my ear drum. on top of that, i had an allergic reaction to the medication they gave me, which was also a first. that was a pretty miserable week.

running closely behind that is sciatica pain and the time my wisdom tooth sockets got infected.

menstrual cramps were mentioned up thread and although there is a day or two a month that i'm completely debilitated by them, the pain doesn't compare to those three things for me.

[REP]

54. Oh god, yes ear infections are hell until the ear drum ruptures

Then it's a lot better - and quieter (for a while). Haven't had one in a decade, knock wood, but that is some mind-warping pain.

[Phentex]

56. EAR pain is the worst, imo...

surprised it's not on the list.

I'll have a baby over ear pain any day!

[Mike 03]

51. I voted "Other" based on what I have seen others experience with bone and pancreatic

cancer, but I agree with the OP that I have also heard that kidney stone pain is excruciating.

[mopinko]

55. 2 herniated discs in my neck.

i don't know how people who can't afford to/just wont get them fixed can live. mine had me confined to bed and crying. it is a scary surgery, but i couldn't wait.

have given birth 5 times, had a couple root canals, have some arthritis. nothing comes close. never had kidney stones.

[kentauros]

57. Herniated disks are probably worse than Sciatica,

considering the source of the pain in both cases. And Sciatica is far worse than kidney stones (which I've had as well.) It had me crying, too ;)

[mopinko]

58. i've had sciatica, too.

this was worse. instead of a long thread of pain, it lit up my entire right arm and shoulder. all the way back to my spine. and they kept sending me to pt, which nearly knocked me out.
i couldn't wait to get it fixed. 5 months of it altogether. every time they asked me to rate it 1-10, i said 11.

[Skittles]

59. TMJ

[cherish44]

61. I've experienced several and they're all special in their own way

For me migraines have been the most intense suffering I've experienced. Earaches are bad too...nothing can ease the pain. Childbirth is painful but I was so focused on the sweet baby I was bringing into the world that worth it and if were THAT bad I think there would be alot more only children in the world :)

[lunatica]

62. Root canals don't hurt since the root is dead already.

But I had novacaine, so that may be why. I've heard tell that third degree burns don't hurt either because the nerve ending are burned and dead, but I'm not sure about that since I've never been burned that badly. First and second degree burns are hell though. I can't speak for the other types of pain. Childbirth was painful but it was like having horrific menstrual pain, but I had an epidural so the pain went away though the stitches on the vaginal an labia tears were pretty painful.

[RagAss]

63. Sciatic Nerve.

[Kali]

65. I voted kidney stones

and I've had a few of your list and some others.


reading the replies and particularly the jellyfish post, I remembered once being barely stung on my baby toe by a stingray. SOB, that was painful, though it only lasted a few hours - I imagine getting zapped good would be up there on the chart well above a honking kidney stone.

[Duer 157099]

66. Having experienced most of those listed, I think Migraine wins

Especially if no drug can provide any relief. At least with most of the others, some sort of drug can at least take the edge off.

[Orrex]

67. Other: listening to Trans-Siberian Orchestra

I'd shatter my own kneecap with my own broken femur before I submitted to a concert by those virtuosos of bombastic excess.

[kentauros]

71. Then follow it with some Portsmouth Sinfonia,

as a means of relief! :P

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVUakcyLnsw

[baldguy]

68. Concussion.

The pain started in my eyes, went up my forehead, over the top of my brain, then down the back of my neck and into my shoulders.

[csziggy]

69. None of my concussions hurt as much as my migraines

They were just more traumatic. Though the one where the horse smacked my forehead and dragged its hoof down my face left me with a really nasty set of bruises and a three day crying jag.

[IMATB]

70. I chose other

because up until last year I would have said kidney stones. Plural. And yes, those suckers hurt.

I had costochondritis. I thought I was having a heart attack. It was so bad I asked the Dr. if I could die from the pain. It hurt that much.

I still have bouts of hurt but nothing like when it first started.

I'm not kidding, I wished myself dead many many times.

[S_E_Fudd]

72. Direct blow to the nads....

Hit on the bottom of a pool when I was a kid...I almost drowned it hurt so much....

[applegrove]

73. If you have an adrenalin rush when you have post traumatic stress disorder.

[sakabatou]

74. Other: Headache right before a seizure.

Trust me, it's fucking painful.

[elocs]

75. We tend to pick the worst pain we've experienced as being the worst possible pain.

Mine, hands down, was a herniated disc. I realized at that time I had never experienced any really bad physical pain in my life and I haven't since.

[Cairycat]

76. My brother has cluster headaches

His and others' descriptions of them sound truly awful. When I talked to him at Christmas he said he hadn't been having headaches, but the "foreshadowing" feelings he's had before previous cluster headaches. He said those forshadowings almost give him a panic attack. It's understandable why!

I've been through both childbirth and a kidney stone and cluster headaches sound way worse.

[skygazer]

77. Miscarriage

I've had 3 kids - the miscarriage was far worse.

Close second was getting a horse hoof to the face.

[MilesColtrane]

78. Migraine, only because those haven't been topped since.

Thankfully they just went away and never came back. But, when I was going through them, I just wanted to be put under or put down, it didn't matter which.

Severe, full body sunburn (2nd degree) is pretty awful. In addition to the pain and constant nausea is the knowledge that it ain't going away anytime soon.

I'm sure there is something worse out there.

[underpants]

79. Gout

Gout pain has been described as akin to a complex fracture or giving birth.

I have had 3 serious gout attacks and I was immobile for 3-4 days. I watched a football game and winced at a cut that Troy Polamalu made. Getting out of the chair took 5 minutes.

I do have a serious ability to internalize pain too. I took shots into nerve endings in a medical procedure over a period of a year.

This was much worse than a needle in a nerve ending.

[marigold20]

80. Trigeminal neuralgia

I've had a severely abscessed tooth, two natural childbirths, but nothing compared to the pain of Trigeminal neuralgia (TN)! With the tooth, pain could be relieved, eventually. Childbirth was not going to go on forever, but the stabbing, electric, unpredictable facial pain of TN was unbearable. My first and only attack happened about six years ago and I hope it never returns.

[quickesst]

81. I'd have to say ....

...teeth grinding. In the day, and I'm talking forty to forty-five years ago, I had to sleep in a full bed with one brother and a step-brother, and yeah we were what you would call poor. I was in the middle, my older brother on the outside, and my stepbrother on the far inside. My younger, by one year stepbrother had a habit of grinding his teeth. My older brother, unable to stand it anymore, and he was asleep, crossed his arm over me and smashed my younger stepbrother in the nose breaking it. Man, that bro suffered over that. I just caught part of the arm, but even that hurt. So yeah, don't grind your teeth if you have two older brothers that have to share the same bed.:9 Thanks.
quickesst

[kimi]

82. In my experience

dental pain. I've had an infection which was not relieved by antibiotics for 2 days - my face was swollen, painful, agonizing, non-stop.

One of the few times in my life where I have literally sobbed for hours in pain. And I have given birth 5 times, once to a child who was posterior - meaning back labor - the most painful type of labor I'd ever seen or experienced (and I was an OB nurse).

But the dental pain - oh, bad bad bad.

OTOH, I've never dealt with kidney stones, chemo, traumatic injury, or some other things described here. You all who have - I salute you. Pain levels us, turns us all into humans on an elemental level.

[blue neen]

83. Infected stitches after childbirth...

It's been 27 years, and there have been umpteen other painful health situations; this still ranks as number one. Oh, my God, it was awful.

Number two on the list? I guess the time the doctor burned off scar tissue with silver nitrate after a hysterectomy...no anesthesia.

Damn, this is a depressing subject!