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Researchers in the UK have discovered that swearing can boost pain tolerance by up to 32 per cent. Not only this, swearing has been linked to stronger social bonds, improved memory, and even easing the sting of rejection or exclusion. But what makes swearing the perfect painkiller?
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If you’ve ever stubbed your toe or slammed your finger in a drawer, chances are the first thing that comes out of your mouth is a four-letter word. But according to science, letting out your go-to swear word once in a while might actually help ease the pain.
Researchers in the UK have discovered that swearing can boost pain tolerance by up to 32 per cent, offering an unexpected way to cope with discomfort.
“It’s something that we all share, and it is really magical. It holds so much power over us as societies,” Olly Robertson, a psychology researcher at the University of Oxford told The Washington Post. “It does something for us.”
But what exactly makes swearing an effective painkiller? Here’s a closer look.
Powering through pain
Researchers have discovered that swearing triggers the body’s “fight-or-flight” response, prompting the release of hormones like adrenaline, which help us react quickly to danger.
Surprisingly, swearing seems to tap into this same survival mechanism, allowing us to better cope with pain and make it more bearable. in the moment.
But what exactly causes this reaction?
Dr Pavan Pai, a consultant neurologist at Wockhardt Hospitals, explained to The Deccan Herald that swearing activates specific areas of the brain linked to emotional processing and pain regulation. “When you swear in response to pain, it triggers the amygdala, which is responsible for processing emotions. This, in turn, releases adrenaline, a hormone that increases pain tolerance and temporarily reduces discomfort,” he said.
Richard Stephens, a researcher and senior lecturer in psychology at Keele University in England, conducted a study in 2009 that linked swearing to hypoalgesia—reduced sensitivity to pain.
In the experiment, participants were asked to keep their hands submerged in ice-cold water while either repeating a swear word of their choice or a neutral word. The results showed that those who swore had a higher pain tolerance and reported feeling less pain.
It is a “drug-free, calorie-neutral, cost-free means of self-help,” said Stephens.
Benefits of swearing you probably didn’t know
Beyond just increasing pain tolerance, swearing has been linked to stronger social bonds, improved memory, and even easing the sting of rejection or exclusion.
“Neurologically, the pathways for physical pain and emotional pain are the same,” Robertson told The Washington Post. “So when you have heartbreak, it’s the same neural structures. It’s the same biological blueprint, and that’s why it feels so visceral, because it literally is.”
Interestingly, recent research suggests that swearing may also be connected to increased physical strength.
Studies showed that swearing during pain elevates heart rate, similar to the body’s “fight-or-flight” response, thus impacting physical performance.
However, exactly how swearing boosts strength and pain tolerance remains a mystery.
Does your choice of swear word matter?
Interestingly, the pain-relieving power of swearing isn’t limited to a specific language.
Researchers Olly Robertson and Richard Stephens explored whether swearing had the same effect across different languages by comparing English and Japanese speakers. Since Japanese culture does not use swearing as commonly in social settings as English-speaking cultures, they expected to see a difference in the results. However, their findings revealed that swearing increased pain tolerance regardless of the language.
“I wasn’t expecting this at all, because I was expecting to see that social effect,” Robertson admitted.
So, if you ever find yourself in pain, don’t feel guilty about letting out your go-to curse word.
With input from agencies
