Maybe those who scream obscenities while in pain are onto something.

MedPage Today writes about a study showing that those who swore had an increased pain tolerance, along with an increased heart rate. This is similar to the proverbial “fight or flight” response that can help mitigate actual pain.

Researchers asked a group of undergraduate college students submerge one of their hands in freezing cold water. One group was instructed to utter a curse word while doing so, the other a control word.

Those who swore could hold their hands in the water for a longer period.

Not sure if this adds anything new, as researchers have long suspected that swearing can be helpful during pain. And besides, as one of them notes, “Many a woman in the delivery room has already figured that out.”