It appears that dropping the occasional F-bomb after some kind of physical discomfort, like a knock to the head or a banging of an elbow, is actually therapeutic.

According to a recent study in Britain, people who scream profanities when under physical duress actually provide themselves with a natural pain reliever, Business Insider reported.

In an interesting experiment, researches at Keele University in the UK told subjects to stick their hands into a container filled with ice-cold water. Half the 71-person group was allowed to use a swear of their choosing, while the others had to use a non-offensive word. Afterwards, the roles were reversed.

The results said that 73 per cent of those who swore while their hand was in the ice-cold water were able to leave it there for longer, on average 31 seconds, than those using the non-offensive word.

However, the study found that you have to use your curses wisely. While the pain relieving element seemed to work in the short term, the effect lessened when swearing was a part of daily life.

According to the research, those who swore less in daily life actually received a greater benefit in pain reduction when swearing under duress.