# Seemingly small things that actually REALLY hurt... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 18, 2017, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267 "2017-06-18T02:52:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Santelia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eb9ed0/32.png) [@Santelia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Santelia)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/21 "2017-06-18T16:33:05Z")
stepping on lego ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/22 "2017-06-18T16:35:22Z")
Ew! The worst pain I have ever experienced was passing a heavily constipated stool. Severe agony, in a very, very private and personal place! “Ice cream headache” is also astonishingly painful. ---
**Author:** ![excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e8c25b/32.png) [@excavating\_for\_a\_mind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/excavating_for_a_mind)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/23 "2017-06-18T16:41:48Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > As a young teenager, I frequently got ingrown toenails on both of my halluxes (or if you prefer, halluces). One day, my mother took me to the family doctor about them; his judgement was that the most effecient was to deal with the problem was to remove both toenails down to the nail bed and let them start from scratch. > > The first step in the process was, of course, to administer an injected anaesthetic into the surgical sites. No big deal, right? > > WRONG! I never felt that much pain before in my life (and I’m pretty sure I haven’t felt that much pain since). You think the anesthetic is bad, you should try it without it. I had an ingrown toenail on my right big toe. Hurt bad. Produced “proud flesh” as well as bloody socks. I went to a podiatrist to get something done. She gave me the shot (hurt like hell) then cut the ingrown part out. Took maybe 10 seconds once my toe was deadened. Afterwards, it hurt less than it did prior and healed in a few days (it had been causing me problems for weeks). Fast forward a year and I had another ingrown toenail, same symptoms, same toe. The doc wanted to do a repeat. I said if she could do it as quickly as she did last time, to just go at it without anesthetic as the shot hurt longer than 10 seconds. She said, OK, she would try it. I experienced a pain so incredible that I only remember starting to scream. The next thing I knew, I was stretched out, a cold rag on my head, the doc and her assistant were frantic, and I had apparently vomited all over myself (they were in the process of cleaning that up). She eventually deadened my toe, cut it out, and sent me on my way, with a suggestions to get better fitting shoes. So, whenever they ask me to rate my pain from 1 to 10, I ask if 10 hurts so bad that you vomit and pass out, and it reminds me of that incident. Without a doubt the most excruciating pain I have ever experienced. The deadening shot is a walk in the park. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/24 "2017-06-18T16:41:53Z")
> [@Santelia](#): > > stepping on lego Definitely. And according to a friend with daughters stepping on a Barbie shoe is equally as painful. A sharp blow to the back of the hand, can be rather minor but I guess there’s a bunch of nerves there and it doesn’t take a hammer. Just a couple of weeks ago a 6 ft. aluminum ladder tipped over towards a wall where my hand was, traveled less than a foot, no great speed to it, but the side of the top step hit the back of my hand and it throbbed for hours. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/25 "2017-06-18T16:45:37Z")
Toothache. It’s like wanting to cut off your own head. I’d rather have a freaking migraine. Getting soap up your nose – that stings like FUCK. ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/26 "2017-06-18T17:42:46Z")
It always astonishes me how bad it hurts to stub a toe. If the pain were to last longer than a few seconds it would be unbearable. Is that what it’s like to break a toe? Just one long feeling of having stubbed it? :eek: ---
**Author:** ![pianodave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e79b87/32.png) [@pianodave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pianodave)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/27 "2017-06-18T18:13:30Z")
October 31st, 2009. I got into a fight with my girlfriend. We were arguing at the door to the garage. She pushed me into the garage, forgetting as she slammed the door in anger that I have a spinal cord injury and poor balance. I stumbled and grabbed onto the doorframe and the slammed door got my little finger at full force. I sheared my nail In half and broke my finger. I want to give a shout out to those who have unfortunately gotten doors slammed on any part of them, by accident. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/28 "2017-06-18T18:26:12Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > As a young teenager, I frequently got ingrown toenails on both of my halluxes (or if you prefer, halluces). One day, my mother took me to the family doctor about them; his judgement was that the most effecient was to deal with the problem was to remove both toenails down to the nail bed and let them start from scratch. > > The first step in the process was, of course, to administer an injected anaesthetic into the surgical sites. No big deal, right? > > WRONG! I never felt that much pain before in my life (and I’m pretty sure I haven’t felt that much pain since). I have ingrown toenails too and I was told by a foot doctor that this is hereditary . A paper can cut hurt like hell . ---
**Author:** ![Weisshund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/ba8739/32.png) [@Weisshund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Weisshund)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/29 "2017-06-18T18:31:31Z")
Toothache Such a small thing, yet packs a very strange cold unnerving pain, and you cant reach it to do a damned thing about it ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/30 "2017-06-18T19:04:45Z")
Breaking your tailbone. ---
**Author:** ![zoogirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b9bd4f/32.png) [@zoogirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoogirl)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/31 "2017-06-18T19:11:48Z")
I often get it tiny metal slivers. They are really hard to see and if you touch them of brush them the wrong way the pain is electric. Damn, those little suckers sting! I’ll second the stubbed toe too. I was in a hurry and my son was lying on the floor. I tried to zig around him and kicked the partial wall in the kitchen. Apparently, there was a steel post inside the wall end. Owwwwww! Barefoot, of course. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/32 "2017-06-18T19:35:57Z")
Never had one my self, but by all accounts kindey stones are among the most painful experiences known to man\*. I’ll also second the stubbed toe depending on how its stubbed. Oddly enough I’ve had a broken big toe that I don’t recall hurting as much at least at the outset as some toes I’ve stubbed. Oh and Charleyhorses. Have a nice relaxing stretch early in the morning only the be yowling in pain unable to second later, unable to get enough breath together to explain to your bedmate that you are not infact in the process of dying. \*although maybe not women what with childbirth and all. ---
**Author:** ![El\_DeLuxo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_deluxo/32/9043_2.png) [@El\_DeLuxo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_DeLuxo)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/33 "2017-06-18T19:50:24Z")
…And then there’s getting your own sweat in your eyes. Maybe I’ve got particularly acrid perspiration or something, but that can sting almost like getting pepper sprayed, except confined to the eyeball. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/34 "2017-06-18T19:59:11Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Oh and Charleyhorses. Have a nice relaxing stretch early in the morning only the be yowling in pain unable to second later, unable to get enough breath together to explain to your bedmate that you are not infact in the process of dying. This should have been the first thing to occur to me because I woke up this morning with a horrible leg cramp. My foot was stuck in the sheets which probably led to it in the first place and it was extremely painful just to get loose and hobble out of the bedroom. Some massage and menthol stuff calmed it down after a while but it’s still sore. ---
**Author:** ![IvoryTowerDenizen](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ivorytowerdenizen/32/17937_2.png) [@IvoryTowerDenizen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/IvoryTowerDenizen)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/35 "2017-06-18T20:02:20Z")
> [@Periwinkle](#): > > Breaking a toe. The memory still gives me chills. This. Broke my pinky toe and actually blacked out. ---
**Author:** ![stillownedbysetters](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/41988e/32.png) [@stillownedbysetters](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stillownedbysetters)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/36 "2017-06-18T20:15:14Z")
As a teenager, I fell asleep on board a boat, wearing a swimsuit, with my arms crossed under my head. I had tanning lotion on, so no sunburn in the usual spots, but my exposed underarms got burned badly. OMG, that hurt for a good week. Any time I would perspire, it felt like an acid burn on that blistered skin. Not to mention I had to walk about with my arms stuck out from my body like Frankenstein to avoid painful chafing. ---
**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/37 "2017-06-18T20:27:52Z")
> [@Periwinkle](#): > > Breaking a toe. The memory still gives me chills. Same thing for me. I couldn’t wear a regular shoe on that foot for 2 months. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Spice\_Weasel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spice_weasel/32/5435_2.png) [@Spice\_Weasel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spice_Weasel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/38 "2017-06-18T21:54:42Z")
> [@Buck\_Godot](#): > > Never had one my self, but by all accounts kindey stones are among the most painful experiences known to man\*. I had gallstones blocking my bile duct, which I believe are often compared to kidney stones, and I would have happily taken a bullet between the teeth if offered. The only good thing that came out of that experience is that nothing I’ve experienced since can compare. So virtually everything that happens, I’m like, ‘‘Well, at least it’s not gall stones.’’ I guess it’s technically small, but it’s also pretty universally recognized, even among medical professionals, as one of the most painful maladies. The doctor told me he’d seen gallstones bring grown men to their knees, which was maybe supposed to be a compliment because I’m a woman… and speaking of women, my grandmother was _pregnant_ at the time she had her gallbladder problems, and she had to wait three months and give birth before anything could be done. The woman had to give birth during a gallbladder attack. :eek: Speaking of gender and pain sensitivity, I have read that women have a higher pain tolerance with regard to internal pain (childbirth, kidney stones, what have you) and men have a higher pain tolerance with regard to damage to extremities. I’ve almost blacked out a couple of times due to pain, and it usually involved a sudden accident causing damage to an extremity. In one case, I sprained my ankle very badly, enough that I heard it _craaack_ and was sure it was broken. I nearly went down on the spot. In the second case, I cut my finger very deeply with a sharp kitchen knife and had to lay down. In the third case, I fell down the stairs and became temporarily nonresponsive, unable to hear my husband speaking to me, etc. No serious injuries with any of those but I nearly blacked out every time. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/39 "2017-06-18T22:09:18Z")
Ummmm, are we deviating from “Seemingly small things?” I once fractured my skull in college and spent 2 days in intensive care. Small? I don’t think so. (Yes. Plenty of alcohol was indeed involved, thank you. Some herbal … ah … consumption too.) ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2017, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267/40 "2017-06-18T22:10:54Z")
Well, I’ve had the tonsillectomy, a broken finger (lots of nerve endings in fingers), a very long labor that ended in a c-section, and migraines, and I have to call migraines the winner by several lengths. I did have a medicated labor, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t get to experience several full-fledged contractions, plus my water breaking, before I got the epidural. As far as I know, migraines are just some blood vessels in your head doing a little dance, but the pain is so bad all you can do is lie perfectly still in a dark room. You feel like you might throw up, and noises make the pain worse. When I used to get them as a teen, I had darvocet. It didn’t make that much of a dent in them, but it usually put me to sleep, and when I’d wake up, the headache was almost always gone. Sometimes it lingered a little, but I could at least move, and caffeine would sometimes knock out the tail end. Sometimes ice on my head helped, a little. The pain was so bad it made me cry, and crying made the pain worse. Whoever invented Imitrex deserves a Nobel prize. Or sainthood. Or both. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seemingly-small-things-that-actually-really-hurt/789267.md?page=3)