A large study has identified what many patients describe as the worst pain a person can experience — and it is not kidney stones or childbirth.
Researchers surveyed more than 1,600 people who suffer from cluster headaches. Participants were asked to compare that pain with other serious conditions, including broken bones, pancreatitis, kidney stones, migraines and even gunshot wounds. They rated each on a scale from one to ten.
Cluster headaches came out highest, with an average pain score of 9.7 out of 10.
Cluster headaches are a rare but severe form of headache. They usually cause intense, stabbing pain on one side of the head, often behind one eye. Attacks can happen repeatedly over weeks or months. Other symptoms may include a blocked or runny nose, facial sweating, and extreme restlessness during an episode.
In comparison, childbirth was rated 7.2, pancreatitis 7, and kidney stones 6.9. Even a heart attack received a lower average pain score.
Although cluster headaches are not life-threatening, specialists describe them as one of the most painful conditions known in medicine. Fortunately, they are rare, affecting only a small percentage of the population.
The findings highlight an important point: the most intense pain is not always linked to the most dangerous condition.