Are four letter words the best medicine?

Are four-letter words the best medicine?

We’ve all had that moment, when we’ve hit our hand with a hammer, bumped our knee on a coffee table or simply stubbed our toe. A lot of us have the same reaction when we accidentally hurt ourselves; without thinking, we yell a four-letter word.

Research from Oxford University’s Olly Robertson and Dr. Richard Stephens of Keele University shows the next time you smash your finger, forget Advil — four-letter words can increase your pain tolerance by 33% compared to using a more family-friendly word.

WTOP asked some people in Alexandria, Virginia’s Old Town if swearing is the best medicine.

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