Dr. Philip Chen, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, is quoted in this Web MD article on why some COVID tests hurt so much. Dr. Chen said that for people who are more prone to get headaches, the test can trigger a severe one, that nosebleeds can occur if the swab irritated and broke the surface of the mucosa and, for some people, due to the anxiety of having the test or the actual pain itself, the test can lead to a vasovagal event and their fainting.
