I suffer from migraines, so I’ve had the displeasure of experiencing both. Currently I have the dull ache, and I think I’ll stick to that for now.
Seeing as I have chronic, barely tolerable pain and I’ve experienced instantaneous, agonizing pain a few times, I’d take the momentary all-encompassing ouch any day.
This is a no-brainer for me. The momentary pain is way easier to take.
If you changed it to aggravating, but tolerable pain, I might change my answer, but the prospect of every day waking up and not feeling 100% and no prospect of ever feeling that way again would be a terrible fate.
Momentary pain would beat chronic pain.
I think the anticipation of the screaming agony would be nearly as bad as the constant throbbing pain. Whether you knew when it was coming or not, you know that it will be coming.
Oh, and what it if happens when you’re trying to do a tricky merge onto an interstate filled with psychotic wolverines, like many of us DC-area residents do? Can we assume that the sudden pain won’t come at a time that’s likely to get the sufferer and others killed?
I sort of know whereof I speak. I’ve had knee and shoulder pain for 6 months. Nearly constant, though of varying intensities. The charm has almost worn off. When it’s a bad day, it’s depressing as hell - it really wears you down (and I know I’m a wuss compared with some, I know people who live with far more severe constant pain for far longer, with less hope of eventual recovery, and I don’t know how they do it).
I’ve also had the occasional searing pain (botched epidural, other occasions) and they aren’t a whole lot of fun. That sudden pain that makes you think you’re gonna puke and leaves you shaking and shocky for a while afterward? Pretty much the definition of un-fun.
For a year? I’d take the constant mid-level pain. For a lifetime, I don’t know which I’d choose.
Psychologically, I definitely do better in an acute crisis than dealing with milder, ongoing issues. So, I would pick the momentary agony over the ache. I could cope with that much better in terms of living my life, day after day.
It would definitely make a difference if I could roughly predict the moment of pain. There are ways to mentally prepare for that sort of thing. I did labor without any drugs – and I’m generally a wimp when it comes to pain. The key was knowing that it was temporary and that I could prepare for the experience (to a certain degree, anyway).
I’d go with the screaming agony. I’m one of those people who just likes to get it over with all at once, so that way I could have a few seconds of agony, then go on with my life.
I’ll go with the screaming agony, please.
Having a terrible, not-quite-debilitating pain is not pleasant. I’ve had the pleasure of living with it for the past year, and will for the rest of my life, and I’ve given serious consideration to amputating my finger rather than continue with the pain.
Since it’s daily, I really don’t see the difference. If it were just a true one time pain thing, I’d take that. But if it’s every day, the anticipation will pretty much equal out the choices. The only thing that would make me choose is if I can decrease the pain: then I’d take the longer option, because I might be able to decrease that to where I wouldn’t really notice it, just like I do now a lot with the mental anguish from coming off benzodiazepines.
Anticipation wouldn’t even the choices out for me. I’d take momentary (as long as it actually is momentary, like a few seconds) in a heartbeat.
The brief sudden agony is better than constant barely tolerable level pain. You can only take the constant pain so long before you can’t stand living anymore. It might take a couple years, but all your emotional reserves eventually get drained.
Agonizing pain is probably better in most cases, but if it’s random and more than a couple minutes long, I could just take the constant ache and live on painkillers, which would go a long way towards making it tolerable.
Agony.
I’ve had the extreme “joy” of experiencing both, and would gladly trade in the all day, every day barely tolerable ache for a moment of screaming agony. No matter how agonizing it is, there’s hope that it will end. With the daily ache, no hope for that no matter how many stars you wish on or birthday candles you blow out!
But would it be more draining than knowing when you get up every single morning that you feel fine now, but at some random moment during the day you will be reduced to pooping your pants on the floor screaming in agony – even if you know it’s going to be just for a moment – and say to yourself, “god, it’s going to happen again today . . .”
There is nothing better than the feeling of intense agony being relieved. The moment when you can breathe again, after being punched in the stomach. The “brain freeze” melting. The novocain starting to work. I’d take the moment of terrible agony over constant minor pain, for sure.
I’m a big fat wuss, and would take the short hella pain, even unforseen, over the steady annoying ache. Those build up to piss me off much more than ‘real’ pain does. At least with the real pain I can get the quick adrenaline rush afterwards and feel I accomplished something afterwards by braving it out; a life-long headache? wtf. NO.
I’d rather feel good 23 hours a day and bad 1 hour, than ‘meh’ 24, every day.
I’m going on experience here. I’d prefer neither as they both suck.
I’ll go with the instant momentary hell, but I’d rather be able to choose exactly when to let it hit. If it’s random it’s a closer call.
Give me the screaming pain any day.
I had pleurisy for a month a few years ago - every single breath hurt and nothing helped. As far as intensity goes the first 3 or 4 days was a 9/10, and after that it went down to about a 6.5. I couldn’t sleep but in short patches of time, I couldn’t lay down, I had to constantly be sitting up: imagine feeling like you’re being stabbed in the chest about 15 times per minute - that’s 900 stabbing sensations in 1 hour alone.
After a month, I understood why terminally ill people sometimes want to kill themselves, even though I knew I would eventually get better. That month of misery was one of the worst experiences of my life and I wouldn’t wish it on anyone. People who manage to have a life day in and day out with chronic pain have my deepest sympathy and respect. If I had to live with chronic pain, I’m certain I’d be one of the ones that would just stop functioning altogether, I’m just not that strong.