The most painful thing in the world is often considered to be Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS), a chronic condition characterized by intense, prolonged burning pain that is disproportionate to the original injury. CRPS scores extremely high on pain scales and can cause severe symptoms such as sensitivity to touch, swelling, and muscle atrophy. It is sometimes called "the suicide disease" due to its unbearable nature and the high risk of suicidal ideation among sufferers
. Other conditions known for extreme pain include:
- Cluster headaches , also known as "suicide headaches," cause excruciating, stabbing pain around one eye and can last from 15 minutes to hours, recurring in cycles
- Trigeminal neuralgia , a severe facial nerve pain triggered by minor stimuli like a breeze, is often described as one of the worst pains a person can endure
- Kidney stones cause acute, sharp pain as stones pass through the urinary tract
- Endometriosis , involving painful pelvic and menstrual pain, often takes years to diagnose and can be debilitating
- Broken bones, heart attacks, acute pancreatitis, and appendicitis are also among the most painful medical conditions
Pain is subjective, but these conditions consistently rank among the most severe and disabling types of pain known to medicine
. In summary, CRPS is widely regarded as the most painful condition due to its intensity, chronic nature, and impact on quality of life, with cluster headaches, trigeminal neuralgia, and kidney stones also ranking very high on the pain scale.
