High pain threshold

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People in my school-year used to believe I was unable to feel pain. This misconception came about because nobody could beat me in the game of Peanuts, despite my not being double-jointed. I think this rumour may be why I never suffered any physical bullying at school.

I have a high pain tolerance. I recently had to go to the hospital for a severely infected tooth that made my face swell 2-3 times the normal size and I never cried or scream in pain. In fact it was so bad that I also developed cellulitis under my tongue and my chin, adding to the danger. I had a fever and I rarely get a fever even while sick, my normal temp is around 96-97, not the typical 98.6. I have severe fibromyalgia on top of all this, along with a broken tooth, bursitis and tendonitis in my shoulder and can barely use it and still no crying or screaming. My dad on the other hand has a low pain tolerance. A simple headache he acts like he is dying. I had a root canal today and it wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be.

My sensations of pain have always puzzled me since they are so contradictory. Once, my patella tendon ripped a chunk of bone off my shin and then that bone began to split in half. It was a month before I went to a doctor when finally the knee stopped working, and he was shocked at my inability to feel the excruciating pain that was to be expected with the injury. It took nearly a year to heal with constant re-injuries due to intensive ballet, but never once did I feel anything.

Yet, minor cuts are almost unbearable to me, somehow probably more because of the idea of the cut and the mental dicomfort that it brings than the actual sensory pain. I feel like my pain comes more from disgust at the idea of my skin being ripped open than from how the injury feels.

I think that, because of having fibromyalgia, my nerves are messed up so my pain tolerance isn't high. But it definitely is screwy though. For me I felt more pain from stretching once than from dislocating my jaw.

I dont think pain should be questioned. My 5 year old Autie broke her arm at school and she didnt cry when if first happened but after the swelling started she began to cry and have meltdowns. They called me and said that there was something wrong but they didnt know what. I called my doctor and said that she was in pain but they didnt know where. My doctor knows me and my kids so she told me to bring her right in. As I was changing her clothes I noticed the swelling in her elbow.

They should give you painkillers no matter where you say you have pain, if you have pain who are they to say it cant exist ?
Im glad your back KindomOfRats, I havent seen any posts from you since I came back. I enjoy hearing from you....Edit: maybe she is not back, I see this is an old thread!

I also have a high pain threshold but once it reaches a certain level and if it is constant than it begins to interfere with my emotional state. I have had near constant pain for about a year now with my back and my joint fusion and surgery.

I always moan about the little things, like a nick on my finger or something. I find more extreme pains, like a burn, bang or jab are somehow filtered out. I think I feel the nick more because I really hate the sensation of something slicing across my skin. Then there's the irritation of two pieces of skin rubbing off each other ..ugh

I tore out 4 of my teeth and removed the top row of my braces with a pair of manicure scissors and a nail file.

I am hypersensitive. I have passed out many a time over a stubbed toe or a muscular cramp!

I have a high pain threshold.
Have had 4 children, no painkillers for childbirth
I've had major surgery a couple of times and did not need painkillers afterwards
Broke my wrist, didn't have it x-rayed for 5 days
And yet I do get migraines that I need to take painkillers for and I have stomach issues that are very uncomfortable

What does one define as a pain threshold? I feel pain at whatever level it may be but there's an odd enjoyment to it and I rarely complain (more often I laugh) would this be defined as a high pain threshold, masochism, or both?

Holy Moly, so THAT explains my weird pain tolerance/intolerance! Burns, broken bones, ripped ligaments, bloodied toes, no big deal. But a hang nail? AAAAGGGHHHH!! ! Paper cut? Traumatic! I've sometimes suspected that I would not feel a chainsaw cutting off my limbs, like in the movie Scarface. Very interesting, I hadn't made this connection to AS.

I have a high pain threshold (my old martial arts intructor called me a f****ing alien, which was a compliment) but that's not to say I don't always feel pain. It just doesn't seem to matter much. That said, burns can be pretty uncomfortable.

Similarly, I guess, I have virtually no sense of smell but my sense of taste is very good. Also certain noises really hurt my ears - my mother's voice when she got angry with me used to be unbearable, and she wasn't too impressed by me covering my ears when she was bawling me out..

Quite the opposite.
I have a very low threshold of pain. And I find that no one has any sympathy!! Not even the Missus !
Recently I had another surgery for skin cancer, and hurt for days afterward. Whenever I ask for some prescription pain killers, I typically get a brusque response.

I don't know know what my threshold would be. I had chronic headaches for a long time, and some doctors suggested maybe I just had a low pain tolerance but I don't buy it. I do know that I'm hypersensitive, though.

Hehehe, you're like me. I have a high tolerance for any type of pain except heat.

VERY interesting read.... I have an incredibly high pain threshold (as in needles, injuries, etc)... But not with sound. A loud screech will cause me physical pain, in a way, which is much worse than having someone hit me with a baseball bat, or give me a shot with a huge needle in the butt. I broke my middle finger when I was 20 or so, and it was a crush injury with a bone splinter sticking out through my knuckle with the air hitting it. It hurt yes, but I finished doing what I was doing, and drive to the emergency room to get it fixed. No big deal. Also being into body piercings (all self-done); nipples, ears, and other, I guess that shows my pain threshold. But I will go into a state of shock if a phone rings in my ear, or of a baby screams nearby. God just let me have a toe nail ripped off before I have to tolerate a painful noise!

I have no problem lancing an infected toe, or anything like that, myself with no anesthetic.

Charles