Fuck me. Swearing works (abstract only)

I'd really like to read the paper. Abstracts often miss out the
interesting stuff.

Swearing as a response to pain
Stephens, Richard; Atkins, John; Kingston, Andrew
http://journals.lww.com/neuroreport/Abstract/2009/08050/Swearing_as_a_response_to_pain.4.aspx
"
Although a common pain response, whether swearing alters individuals'
experience of pain has not been investigated. This study investigated
whether swearing affects cold-pressor pain tolerance (the ability to
withstand immersing the hand in icy water), pain perception and heart
rate. In a repeated measures design, pain outcomes were assessed in
participants asked to repeat a swear word versus a neutral word. In
addition, sex differences and the roles of pain catastrophising, fear of
pain and trait anxiety were explored. Swearing increased pain tolerance,
increased heart rate and decreased perceived pain compared with not
swearing. However, swearing did not increase pain tolerance in males
with a tendency to catastrophise. The observed pain-lessening
(hypoalgesic) effect may occur because swearing induces a
fight-or-flight response and nullifies the link between fear of pain and
pain perception.
"