Threshold Of Pain...

I have a very high threshold for pain. I met an accident in 2005. Slipped, broke my left fibula and crushed my medial malleolus. on top of this, all my ligaments on the lateral side of my ankle was pushed to the medial side and ripped my skin open. I felt my bones break and blood was gushing out of the ripped skin portion but when my classmates came out to help me they were all in panic. I was the one who had to give them instructions to go to the PT department and get ma a splint and a bandage. I bandaged my bleeding and broken ankle and asked to be brought to the ER. When I got to the ER, one nurse was cleaning my cut and another taking the history of what happend. I was telling the other nurse all the details when I noticed the other nurse was puzzled why I wasn't twitching at all and asked if it was painful. I said, just a little bit. After my X-Ray, the orthopedic surgeon asked me what happend and I told him again like nothing happened. He asked me to rate my pain level in a scale of 1-10. I said around 3 or 4 and he was amazed and pointed at my X-Ray showing me how broken and crushed my bone was and yet I was talking like nothing happened. He even said that people with the same fracture as I had was either screaming to the top of their lungs, throwing anything they can grab on to or crying hysterically but I have an unbelievably very high threshold for pain. I was in a wheelchair for 8 months and went through 3 surgeries in a year. I'm back on my feet now but still quite difficult to go to work so I'm just trying to survive by working from home. One tip: Deep breathing excercises help a lot to reduce the pain.

It seems that each person's perception of pain is different. When I caught a cold, at first I felt rather miserable and sorry for myelf, but then decided that I didn't want to be that way and just got on with things. Sometimes, I didn't even notice my sore throat and blocked nose. When a friend of mine caught the cold from me, she was thoroughly miserable and just kept moaning about it saying that she didn't understand how I could take it.. - Derek

Hello Twoey, I'm not really sure how to answer this question. I don't think that it's really possible to compare reactions to pain. What I consider a 'high threshold', might be wimpy to someone else. What I can say is that my reaction to chronic pain is pretty remarkable, in my opinion. Though, I can hollar with the best of them over a stubbed toe. There are just so many variables: like whether the body is in tip-top shape, or fighting an infection. Our reactions to pain are often over-amplified when our bodies are 'under the weather'. Another variable is external stressors. We tend to handle physical pain better when we're content with our own corner of the world. Interesting question, Twoey. You really made me put my thinking cap on.

hi twoey68, different people have different levels of pain endurance and I think I am not a good at tolerating the pain. Like you said sometime the little things bother me a lot and yes I have been through times when pain is out of control. But one thing I have learned is that the more pain you get the more strong you become. So I think there is a bright side of pain. :)

I have a fairly high threshold when it comes to pains, so I am lucky there. Yes, I used that silly pain scale at the doctors office, but it seemed rather silly since the doctor wasn't paying attention to what I said. I said it was a nine and he said "that's not so bad"

Hey twoey! Yes, I have had to use that pain scale with the little unhappy faces! And I also do not have a high tolerance for pain either! So when I have to fill out that scale I am usually on the low numbers with the very unhappy face! I am not going to pretend that I can tolerate alot of pain when I can't! I don't care if they think I'm a big baby or wuss! Give me the pain meds now!

a stubbed toe hurts anyone, the pain is the pain, but that kind of pain goes away fast so it is not that bothersome, it is not like you have to live with it every hour of your life. I would say my pain tolerance is probably somewhere in the middle.

I had a home birth with my son who is now almost two years old. I had a two and a half hour labor. I didn't have any pain relief at all. I woke up in the night with contractions that were coming every two minutes. I came downstairs and rang to arrange a midwife to come round and also rang my mum. I had two midwifes arrive when I was in very strong pain. I sat up and two contractions later my baby son was born. I did get some powerful after pains when the placenta came out. I had just had much pain and didn't want anymore. I am on the middle level of the pain threshold I think.

My threshold is low. Paper cuts hurt! Right now I'm dealing with high pain. My back hurts, knee hurts and neck hurts. Truly a mess that brings me to tears.

I have a pretty high pain threshold unless it's in my teeth or my ears then I go nuts. I live most days at a 5 with pains in my joints and back, so I'm pretty used to it. That's weird because when I stub my toe it brings tears to my eyes and hurts really bad!! I think sudden pain is worse than pain you just live with.

well i have a pain condition which makes answering this a tricky thing.. i have figured out that with normal pain that is inflicted on me such as an injury or something i have a VERY high threshold with but the pain of fibromyalgia i can have a low threshold with.. i think its because fibro can be like nerve/tissue/muscle pain that has no reason and gnaws on you after awhile but i have had many times where i get injured and no even realize it or it not bother me and other people have the same thing and are screaming and freaking out..

i have no idea about this pain scale. anyways, i think that i don't have much tolerance to pain. i may be able to bear it at first. but i will make sure that i will not go through it the second time. for example, i have been to a facial center. they plucked my black and white heads with the use of sharp metal with thin, pointed end. these are two metal stick used to get the blackheads and white heads and used to open the pores so those white or blackheads will be loosened from its place and be removed. it was so freaking painful that every time they get to my skin, my chest rises upward in pain while i was laying flat on my back on a bed. And all the while i was saying to the person doing the procedure on me that i think i had enough already and i don't want to finish it. But the person was so determined to get them all off until i was able to finished it before i gave up finally.

I am having a high threshold of pain, I would say I am strong...yeepee... But I couldn't see something like this happening to somebody else... really injuries doesn't hurt me much be it small or big...

I think i have a pretty high threshold on pain because i bust my head wide open when i was younger to the point I needed 11 stitches in in my head.....when i went to the doctor they stuck a needle in my wound....THAT WAS THE MOST PAINFUL THING I HAVE EVER FELT IN MY LIFE....Ive been greazed by a bullet but that needle to the head to numd it was excruciating.....So after taking that i feel i could have a high threshold im tough baby...YEAAAAA

Whoever thought that pain scale up should be committed. I refuse to play that game with them as they look at you as if you have no idea what you are talking about, or you are making things up.

I must be in the middle. I can stub my toe ans continue walking . Buy then again , I will never go through child birth, too painful.

Depends on the kind. Burns are hard to handle. Emotional...has varying levels and is extremely unpredictable. Cuts, scratches, bruises, blisters, punctures...I can tolerate fairly easily. Internal pain, that's a little more unpredictable than emotional...in that my perception of it isn't always constant. But I'm usually pretty resistant to pain. My eyes won't water much for most kinds of pain, but the most extreme usually makes me bite my lip too hard, or writhe. It all depends, but usually I'm pretty tough -- tougher than my brother, who is, in comparison...a delicate flower. Warm water's "hot", cool water's "cold" with him.

No I'm not really good with pain, especially at the dentist office. I was just there the other day to get my teeth cleaned and she had to use a lot of oragel to keep me numb, because my teeth are so sensitive.

I do not know what number to give it but I do not like pain. Besides that, I do have a high tolerance, maybe because I am a dancer/teacher and used to pain. Maybe because I have had so many painful surgeries and injuries. I danced on a broken foot for a few weeks (and I was dancing on pointe - on the toes in ballet) before I finally decided to go to a dr. about it so maybe that gives an idea.

I'm so tired of the VA and their pain scale. When my husband goes they don't believe him anyway. They say things like "But you're so young, you shouldn't be in this much pain". This is what he gets for years of service and a service related disability. I'd say he's got a high threshold, in that he doesn't say much but you can see it in his face and when it's so bad he can't walk. I have a low tolerance for pain. When I had children I got epidurals just so I didn't have to have any pain. Namaste-Anora