For those old enough to remember his name, check this out, from the Journal of Practical Pain Management:

In 1946, at the age of 41, Hughes solo-tested an experimental reconnaissance plane known as the XF-11. Shortly after take-off from the Santa Monica, California airport he crashed. He miraculously survived the crash and was immediately hospitalized at Good Samaritan Hospital in downtown Los Angeles. His injuries were numerous and included multiple fractures and third degree burns (see Table 2). He required three chest drainings, since he recurrently bled into his left chest cavity. Four skin grafts were required to close a large third degree burn extending from his shoulder to hip. He remained at Good Samaritan Hospital for about 5 weeks between July 7 and August 11, 1946. Hughes was given morphine while hospitalized and was discharged on codeine. A detailed list of Hughes’ injuries are listed in Table 2 to emphasize that essentially no one can survive these injuries without developing intractable pain.

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Hughes suffered several neuropathies and had allodynia which presents as severe pain to the touch. He would possibly today be given the diagnosis of Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy or Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome. At times, his pain was reported to be so severe that a simple touch or the touching of bedclothes produced pain. His renowned refusal to brush his teeth, cut his toe and finger nails, or wear shoes may have been related to the fact that these actions may have caused increased pain. His multiple facial fractures probably produced a neuropathy of his jaws and face. At this time, it is not possible to correlate his pain and its treatment to any impact on his renowned, lifelong eccentricity and obsessive-compulsive traits or to his failure to brush teeth, cut nails, or exercise.

Practical PAIN MANAGEMENT, July/August 2007
http://pain-topics.org/pdf/HowardHughesPseudoaddict.pdf

Mike