# What is the most painful thing you can think of **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 14, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230 "2011-09-14T01:38:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Igrapeape](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Igrapeape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Igrapeape)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/1 "2011-09-14T01:38:23Z")
I’m curious what you think is the most painful thing which can be done to our body is. At first I started out putting medical procedure, but I can remember a few times which weren’t medical procedures, like while in service being shot, or having a toenail caught and ripped off by hitting something. So, I opened it up to most painful overall. I was being tested for a pain pump and I had to have this very long needle put into my intrathecal space in order to see if the medicine was working or not. A few times the pain was so bad my leg or arm would shoot up in the air and I screamed out in pain which on the usual 1-10 scale I’d for sure consider a 10 and it made me question if the previous time I mentioned my pain was a 10. That’s mine, what’s yours. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jman/32/4416_2.png) [@Jman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jman)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/2 "2011-09-14T01:49:37Z")
Warning, this is a little, ok, a lot, sick. I’d say having someone slit my scrotum open, pour lye into it, and then pour boiling water over the whole area. I’d imagine it would be pretty hard to stay conscious through that. Luckily, I think the chances of that happening to me, or likely anyone, is vanishingly small. ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/3 "2011-09-14T01:49:51Z")
If there’s anything that hurts more than multiple complund fractures of the lower leg I don’t ever want to know about it. I had no idea a person could feel that much pain and not pass out. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/4 "2011-09-14T01:54:00Z")
Reported for forum change, as it calls for opinions rather than factual answers. ---
**Author:** ![mack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b19c9b/32.png) [@mack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mack)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/5 "2011-09-14T01:55:02Z")
Being burnt. ---
**Author:** ![MichaelEmouse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/michaelemouse/32/101_2.png) [@MichaelEmouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MichaelEmouse)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/6 "2011-09-14T01:56:06Z")
… ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/7 "2011-09-14T01:57:32Z")
A ruptured appendix that wasn’t operated on for about 10 hours. I think I must have passed out for a while, because I had no sensation of passing time. Of course if someone were to experience everything in this thread simultaneously . . . ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/8 "2011-09-14T02:01:36Z")
The compound break of my collar bone hurt quite a bit. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/9 "2011-09-14T02:07:45Z")
I’ve given birth with no pain medicine involved at all, and I’ve broken bones. I’ve had many cuts, and lots of stitches. Nothing hurt as badly as passing a kidney stone. _Nothing_. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/10 "2011-09-14T02:10:23Z")
Since this is a matter of opinion, it’s better suited to IMHO than GQ. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Motorgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e36b37/32.png) [@Motorgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Motorgirl)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/11 "2011-09-14T02:19:42Z")
Having my cervix opened without painkillers, to insert an IUD. I had no idea you could pass out while lying down. When I came to I threw up a couple of times. ---
**Author:** ![alice\_in\_wonderland](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alice_in_wonderland/32/176_2.png) [@alice\_in\_wonderland](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alice_in_wonderland)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/12 "2011-09-14T02:20:59Z")
Induced labour for me. It was a total shit show. ---
**Author:** ![Igrapeape](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Igrapeape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Igrapeape)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/13 "2011-09-14T02:41:58Z")
Does the person who reported me get brownie points for doing so? lol. > [@Colibri](#): > > Since this is a matter of opinion, it’s better suited to IMHO than GQ. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Igrapeape](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Igrapeape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Igrapeape)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/14 "2011-09-14T02:44:05Z")
Agreed, BTW. I did think it had some bit of fact to it. But lack of same responses seem to quash that. > [@Colibri](#): > > Since this is a matter of opinion, it’s better suited to IMHO than GQ. > > Colibri > General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![Igrapeape](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Igrapeape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Igrapeape)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/15 "2011-09-14T02:46:16Z")
I’ve heard this from a lot of people. How would you categorize the pain, sharp knife like, burning, pressure, etc. Broken bones seem to be very high on the list, I’ve only broken my hand, and that didn’t even rank compared to the gunshot or the back probing (no alien jokes there lol) > [@nonacetone](#): > > I’ve given birth with no pain medicine involved at all, and I’ve broken bones. I’ve had many cuts, and lots of stitches. Nothing hurt as badly as passing a kidney stone. > _Nothing_. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/16 "2011-09-14T02:50:25Z")
One dimension not discussed yet is psychological pain–like being tortured and not knowing if you will live or die or watching a loved one be hurt or threatened. As for the pure physical side, being burned alive at the stake has got to take the cake here. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/17 "2011-09-14T02:50:43Z")
There’s no limit to the amount of pain a man can endure; provided, of course, it is some other man. ---
**Author:** ![Igrapeape](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Igrapeape](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Igrapeape)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/18 "2011-09-14T03:51:33Z")
I guess I’m trying to stick to things you personally have had happen so that you can relate what it was that happened. Emotional pain and psychological pain I agree can be some of the worst. The threat of someone saying they are going to hurt you, but you don’t know how, when, or where is right up there. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Handsome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@Gus\_Handsome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Handsome)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 11:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/19 "2011-09-14T11:10:02Z")
The worst pain I ever experienced was kidney stones. ---
**Author:** ![not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/not_what_you_d_expect/32/3246_2.png) [@not\_what\_you\_d\_expect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/not_what_you_d_expect)\ **Post date:** [September 14, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230/20 "2011-09-14T14:58:54Z")
My ovary burst open. It took the ER about 24 hours to figure it out. Hurt like a bitch. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-most-painful-thing-you-can-think-of/596230.md?page=2)