Category Archives: Pain

What a Brown Recluse Spider Has Taught Me

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After having recently received a venomous bite by a brown recluse spider in NYC, I’ve spent some time researching my arachnid aggressor and discovering how to recover from the poisonous attack. Along the way, I’ve learned some life lessons. Statistical odds provide unrealistic reassurance. Brown recluse spiders normally live in South America and

Arachnophobia, Biological anthropology, Childbirth, Cultural Anthropology, Life lessons, Mary Douglas, Medical anthropology, Medical issues, Pain, Risk, Spiders Read more

The “Ow” of Pain

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New research claims that saying “Ow” really can ease the pain. Why am I skeptical? Or, rather, why am I skeptical that this works globally? For one thing, in Côte d’Ivoire, when Beng folks I’ve known slash a finger while chopping wood, or feel the effects of parasites churning in

Childbirth, Cultural Anthropology, Female Genital Surgery, Language politics, Linguistic Anthropology, Pain, Social Shaping of Bodily Experience, Women's issues Read more