The worst physical pain you have endured?

A morbid question I know, but I just started my first “summer holiday” with full pay since the year 2001 because I tore some “ligament” (?) in my left knee and I am getting bored whilst sitting still at home. Must be a minor injury, since the doctor gave me only a week off from work, and some magnetic picture thing on next Friday. I have broken my nose, right elbow, right ankle, right hand wedding finger (?), knuckles from my right hand, dislocated my left knee cap and broken eight ribs. Most of those injuries I obtained during active duty or in the ring and I have recovered from every single one. But now, I feel no pain, unless I try to walk, how weird; my left leg cannot hold the weight of my body. Anyways, back to the topic: at sixteen I endured the meningitis, after that (and a couple of weeks of drug enforced coma) I have not minded pain. The pain caused by the meningitis was enough to make me fall from a dining chair to the kitchen floor vomiting semiconsciously, unable to even crawl. Never since have I suffered any worse. What about you? What is your worst memory of pain?

 

A 7.62 round to the left tricep and then one to the left thigh.

Still not sure which hurt more, the bullets, or seeing what was left of a few of my fellow soldiers after we survived the ambush.

 

Had a kidney stone was told by the female Doctor that it as second only to child birth in the pain threshold.

 

Salute. Forgive my ignorance and curiosity: “tricep” is the muscle between one’s shoulder and elbow? When I was in the service there was a rumor (barracks legend or smt. you must be familiar with the concept?) that a hit from an assault rifle does not hurt since the round is supersonic and one does not even notice the wound until it starts to bleed and hurt. This is only a legend?

IMO: nothing compares with the pain of seeing brothers fall. But that is emotional pain, and because of that, I especially asked about physical pain.

 

That my friend is a myth, or maybe there is a small amount of truth to it. The round that hit me in the arm also nicked the bone and I swear I thought someone had hit me with a baseball bat, but the thigh wound went clean through and like you said, I didn't really notice it until later, when I thought I might have peed myself, although it did start to really hurt during the long trek to the extraction point.

Ahh, to be young and invincible again. :roll:

 

My first thought was much like Sirchets, I thought about getting hit by Fraq and Blast Damage by IEDs (yes multiple), in Iraq. Have even taken some frag, and been burned by White Phosphorus (yes it hurts) during some peace times ops....but believe it or not I am still not sure if the physical pain equaled getting my knee cap cracked by a pipe wrench; wierd maybe when it comes to pain the knee just sucks since its the area that seemed to start rocktoys question in the first place.


Oh and before the smartass kneecapping comment's come out, no I did not owe anyone money and it was not mafia related..it was a much more innocent accident.

 

Pain comes in a lot of varieties, and has profound psychological components. An unrelenting, inescaple pain can be life-destroying. I have, unfortunately, seen this more than once in people I have known.

Most intense, persistent pain: infection below the cheek bone in the right maxillary sinus. It's akin to a toothache, but involving a larger place. Some foreign material had migrated from near my right eye to come out in my mouth between my gums and lip, causing inflammation and infection in the general area the came and went for years. It took 3 days for the antibiotic to take hold. Surprisingly, I could get relief from the worst pain by soaking my head in hot water. I only had to come up for air.

I had torn ligament in my right knee from GA training 5 years ago. It didn't stop me from patrolling, but it has inhibited my karate since then. Both knees have changed because one knee was messed up. Take your physical therapy seriously!

Sitting in any way except unsupported with perfect posture is apparently a major source of back problems. I've gotten a great deal of relief from my back problems through regular exercise and stretching. Not extensive, just regular.

Worst temporary pain: a burn. I fired 2 magazines through my M14, then set it down to help my assistant gunner reload the M60. After he resumed firing, we were ordered to fall back as our position was being overrun. So I reached and grabbed my weapon on the top near the front end of the stock. The barrel was hot from all the rounds I'd fired. I had a 7.62, belted can in my other hand, so I couldn't shift my grip. We shifted position about 100 m and set back up. I suffered 2nd degree burns on a 2" area on my left palm. First aid is to apply a dry dressing, but I got relief by keeping my hand in a canteen cup full of water when I wasn't using it. I still have scar tissue in spite of continuous use for 36 years.

I would imagine the worse pain would be extensive burns over large areas of the body.

 

I agree that the most immediate physical pain is a bad burn, I got white phosphorus on my arm from the soft underneath bend in my elbow to about half down the forearm so maybe a 4x4 inch area, it was very immediately intense until I scraped it off and hurt for days afterword.
The knee was much more longer lasting constant pain.

Well physical pain sucks, but it is alot more treatable, and can even be ignored at the time by adrenelin and other natrual body reactions...I also agree that emotional pain is much longer lasting. But this post is about physical pain.

 

Other people's pain is almost impossible to judge, as we all have different thresholds as to when something really hurts.

And then we take into consideration the human ability to become accustomed to certain amounts of pain, or certain types of pain.

A twisted ankle may be debilitating to one, while only a minor inconvenience to another.

On a side note; You guys rock, your country called and you answered. Good on ya!

 

Thanks sirchet, for the praise and I agree about the different threshold different people, I have always had a fairly high pain tolerance where my younger brothers is quite low (in my opion)..so fully agree there, And for Rocktoy(even if it is Finland), Guardian Angel and the rest that served in the military I too would like to offer you my thanks.

 

Worst Physical Pain: Urethral Swab Test. Basically a very large, long q-tip that they put into my penis to collect a sample. It felt like someone had a pair of pliers clamped to the end of "Sad Jim" and I almost cried.

Worst Other Pain: Discovering very explicit and visceral evidence that my wife was having an affair.

 

OWWWW!

On the second pain I can relate, with my first wife I came home to the same kind of pain.

Lucky for me we were renting an apartment on the second floor and when I threw his butt of the balcony my pain also lessened.

 

I don't wanna be 'that guy' but childbirth was pretty intense

 

But just look at what you got from it.

Fair deal I would say.