A man would answer that it is worse to be struck in the scrotum. A woman would answer that it is worse to go through contractions during labor and delivery. It is impossible to qualify "pain" since everyone experiences pain differently. One man might "walk it off" while another man writhes on the floor. One woman might "breathe through" contractions, while another woman screams "just let me die!"
However, we can compare some aspects of these two examples.
For scrotum hits, strikes, or forceful injury:
- The pain is immediately high, slowly fades and is gone.
- The severity may make a man scream, or be unable to speak for several minutes.
- The severity may put the man to his knees or onto the floor/ground.
- The pain is relatively short-lived, likely under 1 hour total, maybe with some "soreness" later.
- The severity makes the man nervous and protective about being re-injured again.
- The memory of the injury and pain quickly fades.
For the contractions of labor and delivery:
- The pain is immediately HIGH, and continues to build with each contraction.
- The severity of pain is only relieved for 2 minutes at the beginning; then seconds between each contraction nearer to birth.
- The severity may make a woman feel like her knees will buckle-- but-- she must still walk to the car, walk into the hospital, transfer herself from wheelchair to gurney, transfer/move herself from one gurney to the delivery table/bed, and still must complete laboring and delivery.
- The pain continues for hours... up to 24 hours for a first time pregnancy and anywhere from 2 to 10 hours for all subsequent pregnancies.
- During labor, the severity of pain makes most women swear "Never again" and vow to never have sex again!
- The woman must go through more humiliating and even painful procedures, even to get an epidural to stop feeling the pelvic pain.
- "Pushing" feels like someone is ripping out a woman's guts, from the inside out. (For men, imagine the worst constipation you have ever experienced, then multiply that pain by 100--thousand times the intensity.) It feels like the anus and vagina are being ripped apart.
- Immediately after birth, the memory of the pain quickly fades -- thanks to the effects of normal hormones and drugs! The vow to never have sex again also slips from memory.
- Stitches from the vagina being cut and sewn (episiotomy) are burning, itching, and painful. It's like having major gum surgery on your sensitive privates.
- After 24 hours, the urinary catheter is removed. Removal hurts and burns.
- The first time of urinating or having a bowel movement is--- excruciatingly painful. But women manage to go in the toilet and still get up and walk themselves back to their beds, most without passing out.
- The abdomen/lower belly remains "sore" and achy, especially when doctors must push on the fundus (top) of the uterus every time the doc is in the room (so that the uterus contracts and returns to pre-pregnancy size).
All in all, I'd say the contractions of labor and delivery outweigh being hit in the scrotum. Sorry guys, the gals win this argument!
