Gourmet selection of pain

We all know that there are different types of pain. There are dull aches, stabbing pains, prickly pains, burning pains and all the myriad of combinations in between. Recently, I started going to a masseuse in an attempt to work out some of the worst knots in my muscles. It's only since then that I've discovered quite how many different flavours pain comes in (and by that, I just mean physical pain; emotion/psychological pain is a whole other kettle of fish). There are ticklish pains that make you want to laugh in a you-either-laugh-or-you-cry sort of way. There are uncomfortable pains that you're not sure whether it's just discomfort or actually pain. There are tearing pains that feel like you're muscles are being ripped apart. And then there's the most delightfully excruciating sort of pain, that I can only describe as an exquisite pain. I hasten to add that it's in no way pleasant - actually, quite the opposite; it's the sort of pain that I dread the most. But it's so... pure and, well, almost delicate, that you can't help but admire it. It's a bit like a safecracker breaking into a bank vault - you don't approve and you don't like it at all, but you can't help appreciate the craft. If you've not experienced it, then you probably have no idea what I mean by an exquisite pain, but I've mulled this over for a while now, and I can think of no other description of it. But if you're curious, go find your nearest sports masseur/masseuse and experience it for yourself. I'm not going to say that you won't regret it (because several times now, halfway through the massage I've started having second thoughts...), but it's certainly an experience!