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Regular Floss readers know that scientists around the world study some pretty silly things. A few weeks ago, I wanted to know why spaghetti doesn’t break in half. A simple Google search gave me an in-depth study of the phenomena by two physicists and plenty of charts, equations and even videos of their experiments. In our annual 10 Issue, Chris Weber wrote about the most recent batch of Ig Nobel Prize winners, who have put plenty of time and effort into things like extracting vanilla flavoring from cow dung.
Surely, on the next line, I’ll present you with the results of a much-lauded study that conquered the mystery of the post-micturition convulsion syndrome (or, the “pee shivers”). But guess what?
No one has ever studied it.
Science has given us vanilla made from feces. It’s discovered that Viagra aids jetlag recovery in hamsters. It’s detailed the injuries that a falling coconut can cause. But for some reason, no one wants to touch the pee shivers. And so, we’re left with…
THE THEORIES
The most plausible one, espoused by a number of scientists who aren’t this guy, is that the shiver is a result of two parts of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) getting their streams crossed. The ANS is a control system for involuntary muscles affects things like heart and respiration rates, digestion, body temperature control and urination.
The ANS has two divisions. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) controls bladder function, among other things. It keeps the bladder relaxed and the urethral sphincter contracted so you don’t have to concentrate on not peeing your pants all day. The parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) relaxes the urethral sphincter and contracts the bladder when you decide to answer nature’s call.
Part of the SNS response to a full bladder is the release of chemicals like catecholamines (which include epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine). When you finally grab a minute to urinate, the PNS takes over, and catecholamine production changes. Some sources point at the change in chemical production as the cause of the shiver, and others say it’s the SNS to PNS switch itself that does it.
As I said, this is just a theory (and there a plenty more out there, too, like the shiver being caused by exposing your naughty bits to the colder temperature outside your pants), and no one has conducted any laboratory research to confirm it. If you’ve got some time on your hands this summer, maybe we can hook you up with a mental_floss grant to study this more thoroughly.
If you’ve got a burning question that you’d like to see answered here, shoot me an email at flossymatt (at) gmail.com. Twitter users can also make nice with me and ask me questions there. Be sure to give me your name and location (and a link) so I can give you a little shout out.
Comments (19)
Comment
I always thought it was because of the warmth of the pee leaving the body.
posted by Katie on 7-22-2008 at 8:20 am
I read another theory that the sudden evacuation of warm urine from the body triggers the shiver as a response to the loss of heat. Ever get one of those pee shivers that causes your aim to suddenly veer way off target? That’s the worst.
posted by Craig on 7-22-2008 at 8:23 am
Cecil Adams of The Straight Dope had beaten you to the punch…exactly fourteen years ago. Strange coincidence, don’t you think? Click on my name for the article.
posted by Amy on 7-22-2008 at 8:48 am
I have never had “pee shivers”. Is that strange?
posted by B on 7-22-2008 at 9:59 am
Sorry to disappoint you Matt, but this topic was investigated and a video documentary was made by … who else, our magnificent Japanese scientists (it couldn’t have been anybody else). When I was a child, there was a video documentary series called The Wonderful Human Body in which this issue was presented. Unfortunately I haven’t been able to find it on youtube (T_T). Their conclusion, if my memory doesn’t fail me, was that it was due to the loss of body heat, and women also have it. Certainly my wife does…the shivering..
posted by Fign on 7-22-2008 at 10:45 am
@ Katie and Craig – That’s one of the other theories floating around out there. When I looked into it further, the counterpoint to that idea generally seemed to be “why don’t you shiver when you vomit, then?”
@Amy – The timing is rather creepy. Perhaps this is a sign of a collective world-wide pee shiver sometime today.
@B – Not strange at all. Some people have them some people don’t. Those that do experience them with varying regularity.
@Fign – If you ever come across a clip, send it on over. I’d love to see the lab work that went into that and if they considered the point about vomit in their conclusion.
posted by Matt on 7-22-2008 at 11:02 am
Since we’re supposed to be some ’smart masses’, can we collectively agree to not use phrases that diminish the strength of a scientific theory. To say something is ‘just a theory’– especially when speaking about scientific theory– cheapens the word. It’s the reason creationists/IDers get a chubby when evolution is referred to as a ‘theory’… which it is, but so is gravity.
The pee shivers ‘theories’ above– I think the word you’re looking for is ‘hypotheses’
posted by Steve on 7-22-2008 at 12:18 pm
Just wondering–does this happen to women as well? My theory was basically that you are in contact with a ganglion of nerves when you hold your penis to aim, and that when you release it, that causes the shiver…but if it happens to women as well, then I’ve got nothin’. Unless y’all are doin’ the ol’ “Grammas coin purse” maneuver….
posted by Jason on 7-22-2008 at 1:20 pm
“Grammas coin purse” maneuver
seriously…that just made my day
reCAPTCHA: expose produce !!
posted by chris on 7-22-2008 at 2:02 pm
This leads to two questions of mine:
1) Why does the body force the feeling of needing to urinate after orgasm?
2) Is there a temperature-trigger that makes men have to pee in the shower?
posted by Chris on 7-22-2008 at 2:47 pm
@Chris
For your number 1, I thought it was the close proximity and contractions in the area when you orgasm (for men and women).
For number 2, Women have to pee in the shower too. I almost always have the urge even when I’ve just gone. I think it’s the temperature thing.
posted by Tricia on 7-22-2008 at 3:29 pm
Is anyone else just as intrigued by the photo accompanying this article as the topic itself? Is that toilet for real and, if so, where is it?
posted by Lindsey on 7-22-2008 at 3:49 pm
@ Steve – You bring up a good point. “Theory” has different meanings in scientific and common usage, and the cranks of the world love to exploit that fact. Here, I’m using the word for its common meaning, since I haven’t been able to find anyone who’s conducted pee shiver experiments. Hypothesis would be the more accurate word to use, though.
You also got me thinking today if theory, in its common meaning, should be banished from my vocabulary if I’m talking about anything even vaguely related to science, for the sake of creating a clear boundary between the two meanings. My girlfriend will love to hear me babble about this over dinner.
@Jason – It happens to women, too, and has been observed to happen to babies in their diapers.
@Chris and Tricia – Not sure, but it’s a good question for a future post. I usually need to pee after washing dishes, too, so I’m not sure if it’s the temperature or the sound of running water, or a combination of the two. Stay tuned!
@Lindsey – Mangesh found the picture, so I’ll be sure to ask him.
posted by Matt on 7-22-2008 at 5:22 pm
Immaturely, I admit, I giggled at “When you finally grab a minute to urinate, the PNS takes over…” I thought that made my day, then I saw the ’smart masses’ comment. Good stuff.
posted by adrienne on 7-22-2008 at 6:20 pm
Why do I shiver when I pee? Because it’s January, and I’m in an outhouse. Outside of such an obvious situation, I’ve never even heard of this phenomenon. Am I weird because I don’t shiver, or am I just warmhearted?
posted by Miss Cellania on 7-22-2008 at 7:52 pm
Maybe for clearing of the urethra?
posted by Paul on 7-22-2008 at 8:40 pm
After orgasm = clearing out bacteria.
When hands are immersed in warm water.. well, I don’t know why, but I guess none of you have ever been to a slumber party?
posted by Celeste M. on 7-23-2008 at 1:45 am
On a related note, sometimes when I pee, my knuckles get tingly. This only happens when I’ve really been holding it in. Anybody else?
posted by Steve S on 7-28-2008 at 8:10 pm
It feels good sometimes when i have to pee alot.One time i drank a 32 ounce pop & i had to pee soooo bad that i when i did it felt sooo good i moaned.I was feeling sooo good i couldnt stop.I love to watch somebody pee.A guy mostly.Why am i turned on like that?& am i normal?
posted by maddey on 9-6-2008 at 5:49 pm