Holy &@$%! Swearing is a Natural Painkiller?!
Science confirms the pain-relieving power of the F-bomb
There’s nothing like stubbing your toe or banging your elbow to bring out a few choice words. Sudden jolts of pain bring out the urge to swear, but there’s more to cursing than just letting off steam. Letting those cuss words fly actually has a surprising benefit when it comes to pain relief.
From the Hungarian “baszd meg!” (roughly equal to “f-you!) to the Jamaican “bomboclat!” (butt rag!), swearing is a universal human behavior. Every language has its expletives, often based on cultural taboos like religion, sex, or bodily functions.
For some of us, there’s something satisfying about letting out a nice, pithy swear word in moments of pain or intense emotion, isn’t there? Well, good news: You can ditch the swear jar, because it turns out the use of profanity has legitimate pain-relieving benefits.
Scientists have theorized that because swear words are taboo and emotionally charged, the very act of uttering them distracts the mind from pain. Other research suggests that swearing may trigger the body’s stress response, leading to a release of adrenaline and endorphins — the body’s natural painkillers. This can result in a temporary increase in pain tolerance, allowing the curser to endure discomfort…
