The word excruciating comes from Latin excruciare, from cruciare, to crucify. It means unbearably painful, or extreme agony. The word excruciating originates from crucifixion i.e. “a pain like the pain of crucifixion”. Crucifixion is the most painful torture ever invented. It was invented by the Persians in 300 BC, and perfected by the Romans in 100 BC. Jesus was crucified and after his crucifixion this word ”excruciating” mainly came into existence.

Crucifixion is a medical catastrophe.

The muscles of victim’s legs were made to bend at 45 degrees so they used to become extremely fatigued, in severe cramp, and in an anatomically compromised position. The crucified victim was physiologically forced to move up and down the cross, a distance of about 12 inches, in order to breathe. The process of respiration caused excruciating pain, mixed with the absolute terror of asphyxiation. There was increasing dislocation of wrists, elbows and shoulders, and further elevation chest wall would make breathing more and more difficult. The person would become severely dyspnoeic (short of breath).

Physiological reflexes demanded deeper breaths. The body would become starved of oxygen with greater amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. It would result in tachycardia. Fluctuations in blood pressure and dehydration would lead to heart and lung failure.

Thus crucifixion was the most painful death that could ever be given to anyone. The process of inflicting such extreme pain became synonymous with crucifixion and adverse pain due to it started to be known as excruciating pain!