HayleyJayne Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Well, bit of a random question but I was epilating/waxing my legs last night and was screaming swear words all the way though - I used numbing spray but only managed to get my left leg done - my right leg seems to be more sensitive... grrr!! I also nearly collapsed having a tiny tattoo done!! However a girl at work said she eppilated her legs and it didnt hurt and other people like the feeling of getting a tattoo...:confused: Why is this and why do people have different pain thresh-holds?? I dont understant... those of you who can handle pain!! I ENVY YOU!! X Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sierra Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 There's really no explanation, people just do. Ever had the experience of a medical professional telling you something should hurt, but it doesn't? My husband once had a bad, bad cold. A couple weeks later, the side of his face swelled up. Really bad. Off to the doctor we go. The doc almost fainted when she looked in his ear. He had a raging middle ear infection and responded to her offer of some stong pain meds with an airy, 'no thanks', because he kept insisting it didn't hurt. I was gobsmacked. I've had ear infections before and they hurt like hell! It annoys me no end when people dismiss someone who can't take the level of pain they can as a wuss. It really annoyed me when I was in labor. Even worse is a doctor or dentist insisting, 'that doesn't hurt!" Well doc, it does. Everyone is different and so many things can influence how each one of us perceives pain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
medusa Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Part of it is simply having had lots of practice. Compared to one of my operations, my hysterectomy really didn't hurt much at all and I chose to do it entirely without painkillers apart from the general anaesthetic for the operation itself. This wasn't me being 'ard, I just preferred the pain to the side effects of the painkillers. Another part of it is that I don't see that sort of pain as a threat- it will happen and then it will pass and it will pass faster without me struggling, twitching or getting tense, so just letting it happen is the fastest way to get rid of it. I used to wax and epilate my own legs and quite like getting tats and piercings and I'm the sort of person who can hold a normal conversation whilst getting a brazilian. The other thing is that I live in chronic pain from a nerve injury, so when I'm used to pain that reduces me to a crying, shivering heap, having my legs waxed is really neither here nor there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amaranthus Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 I think it has something to do with being conditioned to pain. Human tissue gets tougher the more it is subjected to blows. Some of the fighters on here can probably tell you that from experience. Shaolin monks have something called iron leg/ stomache etc. technique where they pound the body part for a couple hours a day for months or years even, until it becomes tough and hitting it becomes painless. Some fighters use rolling pins on their legs to kill the nerves so that when they kick an opponent it doesn't hurt their legs. I know from experience that if you get hit in the same area repeatedly, over a prolonged period of time, the tissue stops bruising and swelling as easily as it did to start with. Humans adapt very well to situations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tomm06 Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 Pain threshold... if you want a good example of people with a VERY high pain threshold... watch Dirty Sanchez Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tradescanthia Posted June 19, 2010 Share Posted June 19, 2010 After major cancer surgery and permanent arthritis I think you get used to pain. It does tend to make you a bit irritable at times and a little 'short fused'. It gets easier with time as you learn to live with it. Its either that or constant painkillers with all the nasty side effects. You cant win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KellieB Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 After major cancer surgery and permanent arthritis I think you get used to pain. It does tend to make you a bit irritable at times and a little 'short fused'. It gets easier with time as you learn to live with it. Its either that or constant painkillers with all the nasty side effects. You cant win. I love your signature, it sums up the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunzi Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Ok, lets try this again without all the personal attacks and masked swearing please. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carly83 Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 Well, bit of a random question but I was epilating/waxing my legs last night and was screaming swear words all the way though - I used numbing spray but only managed to get my left leg done - my right leg seems to be more sensitive... grrr!! I also nearly collapsed having a tiny tattoo done!! However a girl at work said she eppilated her legs and it didnt hurt and other people like the feeling of getting a tattoo...:confused: Why is this and why do people have different pain thresh-holds?? I dont understant... those of you who can handle pain!! I ENVY YOU!! X its a funny topic really i had two 4 hour sittings with a tattooist and slept right through both (arm work) also had top of foot ,ankle and bottom of leg done, hip,wrist and shoulder, then piercings done, eyebrow, nose, lip, tongue, belly button and nipple now none of that hurt. even giving birth i didn't have pain relief. however i turned up at A&E crying due to a ear ache, and have been in tears from a tooth ache before now as well. i think its more complex than some feel it some don't as some can handle all sorts then well up over a stubbed toe lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HeadingNorth Posted June 20, 2010 Share Posted June 20, 2010 i think its more complex than some feel it some don't as some can handle all sorts then well up over a stubbed toe lol Quite true. Pain thresholds do not simply vary from person to person, but even within one person depending on where the pain is. It depends on a great many factors too; pain feels worse if you're in a bad mood than a good one, to take but one example. It's even possible to "train" your brain to take less notice of the sensory nerves and not feel pain as badly. This is one way in which chronic pain sufferers (like my wife) are helped to cope with life, and it has a lot less side-effects than high strength painkillers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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