However, there are some things that women who have experienced both say hurt more than giving birth. Everyone experiences pain differently, so what might be more painful for one person may not be for another. The location of the break and how you use that part of the body can also determine how painful it is. A broken rib might ache every time you take a breath, whereas a pinky-finger fracture might be fairly well stabilized and not as painful once it’s in a splint or cast. Some broken bones require weeks or months of treatment and years of residual pain. Childbirth, on the other hand, only lasts several hours, and even very long labor rarely lasts more than a weekend.
NauseaVomitingLight sensitivityVisual disturbances
Many people with migraines wind up taking prescription pain medication to both prevent and treat these symptoms. Another type of headache is said to be even worse. Cluster headaches cause extreme pain around the eye socket, can last for hours, and reoccur daily.
FeverSweatingChillsBack painConstant urge to urinateNauseaVomiting
Women who have experienced both kidney stones and childbirth say passing a stone is worse than childbirth. After all, the body is not designed to pass kidney stones, but it is made to birth a baby.
Unremitting painNauseaVomitingBack painFever
While some gallbladder attacks can be dealt with by simply prescribing pain medication and a new diet, after a while there may be a need for surgery to remove the gallbladder itself.
BurningFrequent urge to urinateBack pain or lower abdomen and sidesBlood in urineFever
Severe UTIs and those that involve infections of the bladder and/or kidneys are very painful, and sometimes women also get these infections during pregnancy. The pain of a root canal starts before the procedure with a toothache that can last a while before getting in to see the dentist. While the intense pain involved does stop once the root is removed, there is residual soreness. Heart surgery, for example, requires the sternum to be cracked and removed to get to the heart. The pain from this can last for weeks and maybe months, often requiring therapy to help manage. Surgeries that involve the use of laparoscopy are less painful than surgeries where a larger incision is made. While both have elements of pain, some may last longer depending on the type of surgery, the location of the incision or surgery, and the health of the individual. Needless to say, recovery from surgery can be more painful than childbirth. Other means may be required to mitigate the risks of the induction method used. These interventions can add to the pain, either because of the actual procedure, restrictive movement or by inducing fear, which can increase the pain.
Anxiety – fear or anxiety during childbirth can increase pain. Anxiety can cause muscles to tense and constrict blood flow. Adrenaline is also released, which makes it difficult to relax.Birthing position – studies and empirical evidence show that some birthing positions cause more discomfort than others. Lying on your back can cause labor to last longer and increase pain. Standing, squatting, and other vertical positions allow gravity to assist by putting pressure on the cervical opening and helping the baby to pass, whereas lying on your back could cause the baby to press more towards your spine than your pelvis.Fetal position — ideally, babies will be head down and facing the back during labor. This position is the most comfortable and efficient for delivery. However, not all babies rotate completely prior to the onset of labor. If the baby is head down but facing your belly, called posterior positioning or sunny side up, or if the baby’s buttocks are positioned first in the birth canal, called breech positioning, pain can be increased, and there could be complications. Babies can also be positioned so that one shoulder or one foot present first in the birth canal.
Methods for Coping With Labor
The good news is that there are a lot of ways to cope with pain during labor. There aren’t any wrong or right choices, just personal ones. Methods include:
Distraction Epidural anesthesia Hypnosis Water IV medications Massage and therapeutic touch Movement Relaxation
Remember, you learn more pain-fighting techniques during childbirth class than exist for broken bones. Combat fear of pain during labor by taking a childbirth preparation class, so you can learn techniques to use during labor and practice them.
A Word From Verywell
The next time you find yourself thinking that childbirth is the most painful thing you can go through, stop and try to retrain your brain. Tell yourself that the pain experienced in labor is only temporary, typically does not last for days, and is intermittent. Labor is more predictable than a gallstone or kidney stone, and the outcome is usually much happier.
