Swearing DOES help numb your pain, experts claim – as Brits say, the F-word is the best cure for stubbing toes
- A survey of 2,000 Britons found that nearly two-thirds claim swearing numbs pain
- And research has suggested it does indeed act as ‘short-term pain relief’
Blurtting out a swear word when you stub your toe is instinctive for many.
But rather than just an impulsive response, an expert claims that swearing actually works as a natural pain reliever.
Swearing triggers a part of the brain involved in the body’s fight-or-flight response, says Dr. Rachel Taylor.
This can then, she claims, trigger a rush of adrenaline — a natural form of pain relief.
It could explain why nearly two-thirds of Britons (64 per cent) say effing and dazzling help take the anguish of injury away.
F**k was the preferred pain reliever, followed closely by s**t — which 50 percent say they use, according to a survey.
F**k came out on top as a painkiller, followed closely by S**t – which 50% of Britons say they use
The poll of 2,000 Britons, conducted by research firm Perspectus Global, found that the average person swears nine times a day – 10 times for men and eight for women.
After f**k and s**t, the third most popular swear word uttered in response to pain is, damn it, with one in four saying they used the phrase, according to the results.
Among the other popular expressions were b****cks (23 percent), damn (23 percent), asshole (19 percent), and bullshit (17 percent).
Sh**e (16 percent), c*** (15 percent) and c**k (6 percent) were also preferred by Britons with pain.
Dr. Taylor said research suggests swearing can activate the amygdala — a part of the brain that makes up the limbic system, which is responsible for behaviors and emotional responses that are instinctive and difficult to control.
The amygdala triggers a fight-or-flight response, she said.
‘This then leads to a rush of adrenaline, which is a natural form of pain relief,’ Dr Taylor added.
However, the most prolific swearers can become immune to the words’ pain-healing properties, Dr. Taylor warned.
Her comments are based on a 2009 study by scientists at Keele University, who discovered that swearing can provide ‘short-term pain relief’.
The team, led by psychologist Dr Richard Stephens, looked at the pain response of 64 student volunteers.
Each contestant had to hold their hand in ice cold water for as long as possible, first while repeating a swear word of their choice and later while repeating a more mundane word such as table.
The scientists found that participants were able to keep their hand in the cold water longer when repeating the swear word.
Dr. Stephens said at the time: ‘Swearing has been around for centuries and is an almost universal human linguistic phenomenon.
“It uses emotional brain centers and appears to originate in the right hemisphere, while most language production occurs in the left hemisphere of the brain.”
He added: “What is clear is that swearing elicits not only an emotional response, but a physical one as well, which may explain why the age-old practice of swearing evolved and continues today.”