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How vocalizing relieves your pain.

2/9/2015

8 Comments

 
PictureAAAARRRRGGGGHHHH! - Flickr.com
From the time we are born, we cry, scream, shriek, and yelp when we are hurt. It's a natural reaction. Somehow, a harsh code is imposed by society to teach us not to express that pain.

But that rule should be shunned. It's not week to say 'Owch.' A man's not a 'girly' when he groans after being hit in the stomach or falls with an injury on the sports field.

Researchers, from the National University of Singapore, writing in the Journal of Pain say the reason behind our spontaneous groans is to help us tolerate pain.

In a study, 56 people were asked to immerse their hands in chilling water. Those who voiced their pain were able to stand the trauma for up to three-and-a-half minutes longer.

One theory is that the muscle movements involved in making such an exclamation interfere with the pain messages that reach the brain.

Writers of the journal said, “These results provide the first evidence that vocalising helps individuals cope with pain. It is also the first evidence that saying “ow” modulates pain. Until now, the idea that vocalising is analgesic has never been tested.”

Pain-related exclamations such as “ow” were pretty similar in most cultures - "eina" in South Africa, "ahia" in Italy, "aiyo" in Chinese and “ouch” in the US.

When the nurses came to insert a catheter into my husband a few weeks ago, the took him into the bedroom. I heard him yell, 'uggghhh.' It seems he was doing the best thing possible to help him cope.

I'm inclined to grunt if I experience pain in my mall-formed, and now artificial, hips when I'm walking. From now on, I'm going to express my pain in the sure and certain knowledge that using that form of coping mechanism is the best thing I can do.

Reject society's stigma that men must button up any expression of pain. We are all human and we all feel pain.

How do you cope with pain?


8 Comments
Clara link
2/8/2015 07:23:02 pm

Often going with your natural instincts is what is best. I'm for anything that helps relieve pain.

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Joan Harrington link
2/9/2015 12:16:16 am

Great post Francene!

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Salma link
2/9/2015 12:28:18 am

I definitely think it's okay to react to pain, whether you're a man, woman or child!

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Jeanne Melanson link
2/9/2015 03:24:24 am

This is an interest post, Francene. I wonder if the theory behind it is that, for the moments you're expressing your pain, it interferes with the thought process going on in the brain. I suffer from the chronic pain of Fibromyalgia. If this is true, then I'm glad I complain as much as I do, because otherwise it would not be bearable. Great article. Thanks for sharing.

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Donna Ward link
2/9/2015 04:12:04 am

I know my hubby says that just yelling out obscenities when he's done something upsetting - (when he hopes no one can hear!) - I handle it differently - great post, Francene

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Alana link
2/9/2015 06:33:03 am

I yell ouch. I complain (but try not to complain that much). My husband-well, it's obscenity time. That's how I know he hurt himself.

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Amy Bovaird link
2/9/2015 09:00:23 am

My sister just bore it. She made a short hissing sound when it was really bad to try to relieve some of the pain. Most of the time, she kept silent. Once I was there when she was receiving a sponge bath. She was in a LOT of pain but just turned her head and groaned or let out a hissing sound. Terrible!

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Ina
2/11/2015 11:16:02 am

I am amazed at your posts. They are so varied. So full of info. Every time I visit, I take something with me. Thank you :)

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    Francene Stanley
    From England, I use news items in my novels which you can see below, all linked to an Amazon near you.

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