does beheading hurt?

Question

and how long does your head know of its plight?

Answer 1

I have lost my head, on numerous occasions, primarily when butting heads with a friend. Lucky I have my head screwed on enough to know never to let a good thing die...x

Answer 2

Ok, so you have gotten the type of answers I would expect for the most part, but I just wanted you to know that I have wondered the same thing. Long ago, when I was a teenager I learned about the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette, and read the Tale of Two Cities, and worried about whether the beheaded heads could still see, and think and feel for a while--how awful if so!

I read somewhere that some of the heads when held up did blink and the eyes would flick around for a few seconds. But of course, we have no way of knowing really what a beheaded person feels. I think that Dr. Guillotin who invented the guillotine did so out of mercy, though, because before that, beheadings were done by sword or axe and if not accomplished correctly, could be very agonizing indeed, often taking more than one chop. Rich people who were condemned would hire their own skillful executioner, or have a large payment to give to the executioner to insure a quick, more painless death.

So that let's me think that the whole process involves some pain, but maybe not as much as being drawn and quartered.

Answer 3

It probably does hurt, when nerves are cut and the head is there to feel it. The brains don't immediately stop working, so it'll probably feel rather odd losing your body (I'd never lose my head) in a fight or an execution. I am not sure how long the head would know of its plight, but I'm sure it knows of its flight.

Answer 4

it might hurt but the head only lives for 5 seconds after it is beheaded so i don't think it will really as it will take longer than that for the message to be sent plus the message with stop at the brain after the head is dead.

Answer 5

I would think so, as I know that you cant die immediately and there is a few seconds before your body realises its got no brain. and think the brain will continue to make all fuctiontions in your head work untill all the blood is gone. I have researched and discovered in some cases the eyes blinked for 30 seconds afterwards.

Answer 6

I'm with CC...x, it's too easy to lose your head, but keeping people close to your heart is important.
I don't want to think about the question too literally! I want sweet dreams, not nightmares! Though my brain is regularly pickled in alcohol, and sits in a jar on my desk, my neck remains intact so I may taste the greatness of a good single malt before it glides down my gullet!...

Answer 7

Not so funny...I made the mistake of watching a video of one of those guys getting beheaded in the Middle East - the worst thing I've ever seen, and I'm a paramedic.



*sorry, I know your question was probably just for fun, but...

Answer 8

i have seen the videos of the hostages having there heads cut off too. was the most disturbing thing I have ever seen. I can still hear the sounds the victims made to this day. its not somthing to make light of. its a cruel world

Answer 9

I have to agree with Vamedicca- We were offered the chance to watch one of these videos for Psychology class, and i made the mistake of staying. i was naive enough to expect a clean quick cut, but believe me it ain't what happened. They used a small knife and a hacking technique, and judging from the screaming it hurt a lot.
I'm not squemish but that gave me nightmares for weeks..

Answer 10

I imagine that it would depend on the swiftness of the actual beheading...I doubt that you'd know much about a guillotine for example.