# Ooof!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooof/184078>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 24, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooof/184078 "2003-06-24T17:29:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![ltfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ea924/32.png) [@ltfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ltfire)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooof/184078/1 "2003-06-24T17:29:58Z")

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I think that everyone can relate, at least once in their life, to taking a blow to the stomach, that feeling of a 100% shutdown of the breathing process. What, exactly, is going on medically in the body, that your brain is telling you that you are going to die, but no matter how hard you try, you just cannot get that one breath to kick in?

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**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooof/184078/2 "2003-06-24T17:39:23Z")

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Nope. Been punched there a few times but never hit me like that. You must have a rather exposed Solar Plexus.

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**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\
**Post date:** [June 24, 2003, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ooof/184078/3 "2003-06-24T18:11:04Z")

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[Solar Plexus](http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/sci/A0845836.html)

> [@](#):
>
> [A] dense cluster of nerve cells and supporting tissue, located behind the stomach in the region of the celiac artery just below the diaphragm. It is also known as the celiac plexus. Rich in ganglia and interconnected neurons, the solar plexus is the largest autonomic nerve center in the abdominal cavity (see nervous system). Through branches it controls many vital functions such as adrenal secretion and intestinal contraction. Popularly, the term “solar plexus” may refer to the pit of the stomach. **A blow to that area, if it penetrates to the true solar plexus, not only causes great pain but may also temporarily halt visceral functioning**.