Study reveals the most excruciating pain known to humans and it’s not childbirth or stepping on a lego

Forget stubbed toes and rogue Legos—scientists have officially identified the worst pain a person can endure. And no, it’s not childbirth or kidney stones either. A 2020 study has crowned cluster headaches as the reigning champion of agony, leaving even the most notorious pain-inducing experiences in the dust.

Researchers surveyed over 1,600 people suffering from cluster headaches and asked them to rate the pain on a scale from 1 to 10. The verdict? A staggering 9.7, making it the most painful condition ever documented in this study.

Cluster headaches, described by the Mayo Clinic as “a very painful type of headache” that “occurs in periods of frequent attacks known as clusters,” are more than just a bad day. These cluster periods can stretch for weeks or even months, turning everyday life into an endurance test.


Symptoms include sharp, searing pain behind one eye that radiates to the face, head, and neck, as well as stuffy or runny noses, restlessness, and changes in skin color on the affected side of the face. The result? A debilitating condition that many compare to being stabbed or burned repeatedly.

Childbirth and Kidney Stones? Not Even Close

Coming in second was childbirth, with an average pain score of 7.2. In third place? Pancreatitis, with a score of 7. Kidney stones, once thought to be the epitome of pain, landed in fourth with a 6.9.

Other notoriously painful conditions like gunshot wounds, gallstones, spinal disc slips, and migraines scored above 5. Interestingly, even heart attacks—a fatal event for many—were rated at just 5 out of 10.

Rare but Relentless: Cluster Headaches Affect Few but Hurt Many

While heart disease is a leading cause of death, cluster headaches are not life-threatening. Yet their impact is profound. Affecting just 0.1 percent of the global population, they are classified as extremely rare, according to Cleveland Clinic.

So next time you think a stray Lego is your worst enemy, remember that there’s a whole world of pain out there—one that feels like a fiery dagger to the skull and scores nearly a perfect 10 on the pain scale.