People have long disputed what the greatest painful event a person can go through is.
Is it childbirth, a kick in the groin, or something completely different?
Finally, research sheds light on this age-old subject, and the findings may surprise you. The findings point to a condition that both men and women agree is painful: kidney stones.
Many mothers who have been through delivery several times report that the pain of kidney stones is on a different level entirely. Similarly, some men who have had this disease say it is significantly greater than the discomfort of a groin injury.
For people who have experienced both delivery and kidney stones, the consensus frequently goes towards kidney stones being more unbearable.
This claim is supported by the research findings of Saiful Miah, Charlotte Gunner, Lucy Clayton, Suresh Venugopal, Nigel R. Boucher, and Bo Parys.
The study noted: “Thirty-six male and 23 female patients fully completed the questionnaire with age, stone size, and numerical pain rating score recorded.”
Additionally, they observed: “There were no statistically significant differences in these parameters between male and female patients.”
The findings highlighted one significant point: “From the male cohort of patients, 88.9% stated that it was the worst pain they had ever experienced and for the female cohort this was 78.2%.”
With such conclusive evidence, it’s difficult to argue differently.
But what do experienced medical professionals have to say about this issue? Let us hear from them.
During a 2022 appearance on the “Who Cares About Men’s Health?” podcast, Professor Troy Madsen, an emergency medicine and surgical expert from the University of Utah, discussed this difficult subject.
He shared: “I don’t know that I ever see anyone on a regular basis in the ER who has more pain than a person who’s there with a kidney stone,”
He elaborated further: “You can tell,” and “You walk in the room, they’re writhing […] It’s just incredible pain.”
According to a blog article by doctors at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, “Passing a kidney stone is said to be some of the most severe physical pain a person can experience.”
If you suspect you have a kidney stone, physicians at the Mayo Clinic recommend a few steps to assist manage the condition.
They recommend drinking plenty of water, taking over-the-counter pain medications, or seeking medical guidance for therapy to help you pass the stone.
