# sudden pains that make you think the end is near **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 21, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969 "2005-08-21T11:24:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/1 "2005-08-21T11:24:00Z")
Ever get those random, sudden pains that make you start looking around for the hooded guy with the scythe? Usually, for me, these are a sharp pain in my head somewhere, bringing forth the question of aneurysm. Just now, though, I moved my leg and triggered a sharp, burning pain on the back of my leg towards my knee. Of course I immediately thought of Deep Vein Thrombosis, and wondered how long, exactly, I have before the blood clot kills me. A quick Google search, however, tells me that this is likely NOT what I just experienced. I’m generally not a hypochondriac, and am a fairly healthy person overall, but these sudden pains really freak me out. ---
**Author:** ![seosamh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@seosamh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/seosamh)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 11:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/2 "2005-08-21T11:33:33Z")
Last Christmas I stayed with my brother and his family. At about 3 o’clock on the morning of the 26th, I was violently awoken by what I thought had been a small explosion in the front of my brain somewhere above the right eye. Both my parents died of sudden and massive strokes at the ages of 62 and 70 so I was prepared for the worst, even though I was only 45 at the time. Surprisingly, I did not die. Nor did I have a stroke or an aneurysm. In fact, I cannot say now whether that explosion actually happened. After about an hour I slipped back into the arms of Morpheus and have continued to be not dead from that day to this. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/3 "2005-08-21T13:25:13Z")
I have had a horrid squeezing gripping tightening sensation in my chest that made me wonder if it was a heart attack. But then it went away. So, probably not. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/4 "2005-08-21T13:33:54Z")
I had the shingles a few years ago. Bye-bye World!! ---
**Author:** ![cabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@cabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cabdude)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/5 "2005-08-21T13:42:02Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I have had a horrid squeezing gripping tightening sensation in my chest that made me wonder if it was a heart attack. > > But then it went away. So, probably not. I have this from time to time. Then it goes away after two seconds. It doesn’t hurt real bad and it happens when I’m relaxing. I’ve had ECGs as part of medical exams - no problems, so I put it down to a sudden, random nerve firing, like an itch, or a muscle spasm. Heart attacks are non existent in my family - I know of none of my blood relatives who’ve had one. I sometimes wonder when the big one strikes, will I recognise it? I’ll just think, “it’ll go away in a sec you big pansy.” Then three months later the stench of my corpse will prompt the police to break my door down, then bring their lunches up. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/6 "2005-08-21T13:50:14Z")
I’ve got an…interesting digestive tract, which causes me to have gas pangs in my chest sometimes, which I sometimes fear is a heartattack. Then I realize I’m only 22, and am in relatively good health, and relax. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/7 "2005-08-21T13:50:51Z")
About 14 years ago, I woke up at three in the morning with chest pains. I drove myself to the hospital. After two hours and $500 in tests, they find nothing. I go to the doctor a couple of days later and the doctor tells me I have [costochondritis](http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5058-1.asp). He suggested taking Advil. It still pops up from time to time. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/8 "2005-08-21T14:13:10Z")
> [@ivylass](#): > > I have had a horrid squeezing gripping tightening sensation in my chest that made me wonder if it was a heart attack. This happened to me at work and it scared me enough and scared my coworkers enough that they called an ambulance and hauled me off to the hospital. Turns out it was a bad, bad gallbladder attack. A month later, the offending sack o’ stones was gone and nary a repeat has occurred. But at the time, it scared the bedoobies outta me! ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/9 "2005-08-21T14:16:58Z")
Mine lasted for more than two seconds, but it was a bit disconcerting. ---
**Author:** ![cabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/58956e/32.png) [@cabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cabdude)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/10 "2005-08-21T14:17:57Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > This happened to me at work and it scared me enough and scared my coworkers enough that they called an ambulance and hauled me off to the hospital. > > Turns out it was a bad, bad gallbladder attack. A month later, the offending sack o’ stones was gone and nary a repeat has occurred. But at the time, it scared the bedoobies outta me! I’m told a blocked gallbladder is one of the most painful things you can experience. Is that the case? ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21825_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/11 "2005-08-21T14:42:25Z")
**cabdude** , I don’t know if it’s the most painful, but it was pretty intense. Of course, I’m pretty much a wuss when it comes to pain. A paper cut can put me over the edge. :o ---
**Author:** ![lorene](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/65b543/32.png) [@lorene](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lorene)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/12 "2005-08-21T14:45:28Z")
> [@Mr. Blue Sky](#): > > I go to the doctor a couple of days later and the doctor tells me I have [costochondritis](http://www.emedicinehealth.com/articles/5058-1.asp). He suggested taking Advil. > > It still pops up from time to time. I recall that a friend of mine had this, a few years ago. It sounded horribly painful. I’m glad I’m not the only one who experiences this. **cabdude** , that whole question of “will I know?” can send me into panic mode for a while. Even this morning, after reading about DVT and ruling it out as the probable cause of my leg pain, I thought, “Cool, OK, I’m not about to keel over…or am I?” :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/13 "2005-08-21T14:47:33Z")
I’m a sucker for the leg pains, too. For years I was a smoker and on the pill, which made my doctor lecture me often about the chance of clotting in the legs. A stiff neck is the other one for me: meningitis. I’m \*sure \*of it this time. :rolleyes: But other than that, no hypochondia to be found! ---
**Author:** ![Eve](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Eve](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eve)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/14 "2005-08-21T16:08:03Z")
> [@Electronic Chaos](#): > > Then I realize I’m only 22, and am in relatively good health, and relax. Stop relaxing, bucko, “thought-they-were-healthy” people _do_ keel over of heart attacks at 22. –Pollyanna the Glad Girl (I’ve had those middle of the night “heart attacks,” too, and lay there thinking, “If I call 911 it’ll just turn out to be a hiatal hernia pain or something, and if it is a heart attack, I’ll probably be dead before they get here anyway, so back to bed for Baby.”) ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/15 "2005-08-21T16:19:49Z")
Between two to four times a month I get EXTREME pain in my abdomen. I think I read somewhere (maybe here) that it’s caused by parts of the smooth muscle lining my intestines contracting, while the muscles right next to it don’t contract, so it’s streches out the muscles/intestine in a way they shouldn’t be. This pain is always accompanied by some…umm…“bowel problems” that force me to spend about twenty minutes straight on the can. But, after those 20 minutes (of pain so bad I want to die,) I’m free for another couple of weeks. ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/16 "2005-08-21T17:20:01Z")
I get migraines, and also get what are called “Ice-Pick Headaches,” those sudden sharp stabbing pains from out of nowhere, at times when I _don’t_ have a migraine. It feels, as the name implies, like you’ve been stabbed with an ice-pick. I’ll be going along, feeling fine, and suddenly BOOM, this horrible sharp, stabbing pain on the side of my head or right above one of my eyes. It can last anywhere from a few seconds to a couple of minutes. The pain is so sudden and so bad that I have to stop whatever I am doing and just remember to breathe till it stops. Scary, yes. Definitely provokes thoughts of, “Am I having a stroke? An aneurysm? Did something important just burst or fall apart? WTF is it?” Once my neurologist explained them, it made it a little better. But not much. ---
**Author:** ![Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@Capt.Ridley\_s\_Shooting\_Party](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Capt.Ridley_s_Shooting_Party)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/17 "2005-08-21T17:24:30Z")
I used to have really sharp pains in my chest that got worse when I breathed in. They were always in the same place, on the left hand side of my chest about half way up my ribcage. They lasted for about thirty seconds and then went away. The first time I had one of those I really did think I was a deadman. I haven’t had one in ages, however, thank God. ---
**Author:** ![Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bb73d2/32.png) [@Dark\_Side\_of\_the\_Floyd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dark_Side_of_the_Floyd)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/18 "2005-08-21T17:51:25Z")
> [@Dominic Mulligan](#): > > I used to have really sharp pains in my chest that got worse when I breathed in. They were always in the same place, on the left hand side of my chest about half way up my ribcage. They lasted for about thirty seconds and then went away. The first time I had one of those I really did think I was a deadman. > > I haven’t had one in ages, however, thank God. I’d like to know what causes those. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/19 "2005-08-21T18:53:21Z")
I had sudden severe pain right below my rib cage last night. I was dreadfully afraid that I was about to throw up- and really dreading it. Or, I could try taking some TUMS in the hope that that would make it go away. After some debate, I decided that not having to throw up would be worth taking TUMS (did I mention I hate taking TUMS with a passion? The texture is just nasty, the flavor is icky- and the stupid pill would not swallow with large amounts of cold water last night.) I then went back to be, arranged my pillows so I was sitting up more, and pulled out a book. Before I knew it, my eyes were closed and the pain was gone. ---
**Author:** ![Caprese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9a28c/32.png) [@Caprese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Caprese)\ **Post date:** [August 21, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969/20 "2005-08-21T20:42:00Z")
> [@Dominic Mulligan](#): > > I used to have really sharp pains in my chest that got worse when I breathed in. They were always in the same place, on the left hand side of my chest about half way up my ribcage. They lasted for about thirty seconds and then went away. The first time I had one of those I really did think I was a deadman. > > I haven’t had one in ages, however, thank God. I used to get those, too, especially when I was a teenager. Another teenage friend said he’d get them, too. Years and years later I was a new mom reading a reference book written by a pediatrician and he addressed this. I can’t remember what he said (I can go look it up if you like) but he definitely said it was something that younger people, especially adolescents, sometimes have–and not to worry. My own kids said they never had this occur. I still get maybe one of those ‘attacks’ every other year, but that’s it. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sudden-pains-that-make-you-think-the-end-is-near/317969.md?page=2)