The worst pain that a human being can experience: from sciatica to acute pancreatitis

Pain is a tricky subject, as it is often considered subjective and depends on individual pain threshold.

However, while the pain of getting a tattoo or having a baby may be debatable, there are certain health conditions or illnesses that are undeniably excruciating.

According to the NHS, there are 20 conditions that are classified as “pain so disabling” that it can prevent you from performing daily tasks, and include well-known pains like broken bones and kidney stones to the lesser-known but still agonizing. causing gout or trigeminal neuralgia.

The NHS also lists frozen shoulder as one of the worst pains to suffer, a condition in which the joint becomes so tight and stiff that it’s almost impossible to lift your arm. The condition can last for several years if left untreated.

Endometriosis, a debilitating gynecological condition in which tissue similar to the tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus is found elsewhere in the body, also made the list.

The condition, which is believed to affect one in 10 women worldwide, takes an average of 7.5 years to diagnose, during which time women may experience general pain, pelvic pain, menstrual pain and pain during intercourse. sexual as well as fertility problems.

Also on the NHS list of conditions that can cause the most severe pain are arthritis, appendicitis and migraines.The full list, in no particular order, is as follows:

Of the conditions, Dr. Gary LeRoy, a family medicine physician in Dayton, Ohio, said the independent: “These are all very valid pain conditions that we commonly see in the healthcare setting.”

However, Dr. LeRoy would argue that two other conditions are also on the list: back pain, “the most common thing we see in primary care practices,” and “toothaches.”

According to Dr. LeRoy: “Chronic low back pain affects 80 percent of the population at some point in their lives because as Homo sapiens, who bends, bends, pushes, and pulls, we end up with musculoskeletal back pain.

Toothaches, which are often dismissed, can also be extremely painful, according to Dr. LeRoy, who told us, “We often overlook things above the neck, and again, it’s a very common thing.”

Dr. LeRoy has found himself “constantly aware of oral pain syndromes” after several patients complaining of pain in the mouth, jaw, or ears were found to be suffering from dental problems, such as an abscess.

As for what to do in a situation where pain “impairs a person’s ability to function in society” or when it “prevents you from working, sleeping, or nourishing yourself,” Dr. LeRoy recommends consulting a doctor, since it can have health consequences in the face of prolonged pain.

And for pain associated with heart attacks, “the worst headache I’ve ever experienced,” kidney stones, acute pancreatitis, or appendicitis, Dr. LeRoy recommends seeking emergency medical attention, as those types of pain can be life-threatening. .

[This article was originally published in 2018]