For years, people have debated the most unbearable natural pain—childbirth, a groin injury, or something else entirely? A new study has settled the debate, pointing to kidney stones as the worst.

Many mothers say kidney stones surpass the pain of labor, while men describe it as far worse than a groin injury. A study involving 36 men and 23 women found that 88.9% of men and 78.2% of women rated kidney stones as their worst pain ever.

Medical experts agree. Emergency medicine professor Troy Madsen described kidney stone patients as being in “incredible pain”, while Cedars-Sinai Medical Center confirmed it as one of the most severe physical pains a person can endure.

Doctors recommend staying hydrated, using pain relievers, and seeking medical help if the stone is too large to pass naturally.