Why is my pain threshold so low?

[Raveonette]

I had a gastroscopy today, with sedation, and it was absolute torture. I felt like I was being force fed lego bricks, I was crying, retching, trying to remove the tube. They had to stop in the end, I need to go back and have it done under general anaesthetic. I keep crying at the memory of it, I actually feel traumatised. And yet, looking back at old threads on here, everyone seems to say it's fine with sedation.

I literally scream and cry every time I have a smear test or any other gynae procedure. I feel like my insides are being ripped apart. More than one nurse has asked if I've had past trauma (I haven't) or if sex is painful (it isn't).

As a cancer patient I have a lot of injections, blood tests and canulas. I usually shed a few tears as the needle goes in.

I could give plenty more examples. I'm not a dramatic person. I hate to cause a fuss and am mortified by my reactions. I use mindfulness techniques and usually start off feeling calm. But these things hurt me so bloody much.

Does anyone else have such a pathetic pain threshold? Does anyone know why, or if I can do anything to change it?

Mine is low too, I am ND and apparently that makes you more prone to low pain tolerance.

My body is always tense too tbh. Too much adrenaline due to ADHD.

I think it's genetic. Some people just can't handle much pain. I can't either. I avoid smears and I was once traumatized by having my wisdom teeth removed. I was screaming and hyperventilating and after that certain sounds or smell swould make me cry uncontrollably. Thankfully it faded after a few months, but it was strange experience. Whenever I need anything more done on my teeth other than cleaning or a checkup I opt for general anethetics.

Oh really? That's interesting. I've long suspected I've got ADHD but this is a symptom I wasn't aware of.

DS (diagnosed ADHD) also has a low pain threshold whereas DH and DD (neurotypical) are as hard as nails.

Trauma? I used to have a really high pain threshold. I had dd1 with zero pain relief, I have had numerous very painful surgeries and coped well. Then I had dd2 and had one of those induction drips with no pain relief. It was torture. Ever since then I get very tearful and panicky at every minor procedure.

It's not a bad thing though, our pain is there to warn the human body of danger, you just have a good alert system.

It doesn't make you a bad or weak human it just means you know you are sensitive to danger and need to plan for pain relief and feel understood.

Other people breeze through procedures that I've struggled with, and yet I found labour manageable. So again every time can be different.

I can’t answer your question but wanted to say I had an endoscopy recently (which is the same / similar to a gastroscopy, right?) and found it horrendous. It was honestly like torture or something. I’d read descriptions but somehow didn’t think it would be that bad. I
So go easy on yourself x

you are not a redhead by any chance?
there is a link between that and s low pain threshold

@Raveonette I expect individuals have different pain thresholds to begin with but I'm sure your state of mind, whether you feel supported by the environment and staff involved in medical procedures has a hell of an impact. And it's cumulative so once you've had one bad experience you're going to be anxious and your body more tense even if you're not aware of it.

It really struck me in the difference between my first and second births. First dc was a long labour and a big baby and yes I'd never felt pain like it, it hurt like hell but because is was able to give birth in a small MLU with a team of midwives I'd come to know and trust I felt so supported and actually gave birth with no pain relief. My perception of the process was positive.

2 years later I had dc2 in a huge regional hospital (MLU had closed temporarily due to staff issues) I didn't want to give birth in hospital. I didn't know the midwives and there was a constant stream of people going off shift and different people arriving, it was all so impersonal and I didn't feel supported. Everyone was doing their job but it felt so cold and clinical. My labour was shorter, in theory it should have been easier than dc1. But my perception of the experience was very negative.

It made me very aware that how we process an experience can be very much impacted on how supported we feel and how relaxed we are within the environment.

I find the concept of a pain 'threshold' kind of implies that there is some level of culpability in the person experiencing the pain. As if every procedure hurts everyone to exactly the same level but some people are more tolerant of the pain and cope better, and therefore 'superior'.

I prefer to think of it in terms of pain levels being different for people, your endoscopy actually hurt you more (for some reason) than it hurts other people. You are not weak, you are in more pain.

It is a difference in framing the issue maybe?

As a cancer patient I have a lot of injections, blood tests and canulas. I usually shed a few tears as the needle goes in.

Since having cancer my pain threshold has bit the floor too. Although you don't think you've had past trauma, cancer treatment is traumatic. I don't know the specifics of your situation, but my veins are shot due to chemo, and I can only go in on one arm due to risk of lymphoedema. Getting blood drawn, cannulas put in etc is an absolute ordeal every time. The record is 8 attempts to get a cannula in, while I was in labour. The senior big dog anaesthetist couldn't understand why I needed gas and air to get through his placement of the 8th one - maybe it's because the rest of your team have already stabbed me 7 times and it fucking hurts.

People can be very dismissive of pain, especially in women, but sorry, if it hurts it hurts. Don't be afraid to ask for more painkillers/sedation/anaesthetic etc.

It's interesting. I always thought people with a low pain threshold probably enjoyed rude health so were unfamiliar with pain. Clearly not the case for you and others on the thread.
I think mine is quite high. but I put that down to having had so many procedures and illnesses, together with chronic pain.
I wonder if there is any research on it?