# Things that feel good because they're unpleasant (no, not bondage...) **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 16, 2005, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899 "2005-12-16T11:16:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/41 "2005-12-18T18:21:03Z")
> [@Pietro](#): > > Huh? The OP asked about things that are pleasant through unpleasantness … what’s unpleasant about this? > > My vote is for a scalding (I mean really scalding) hot shower when you have a terrible case of poison oak. Most intense mix of pain/pleasure I’ve ever experienced. I have had a similar experience with hot water and athlete’s foot. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Krebbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@Mr.Krebbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Krebbs)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/42 "2005-12-18T18:56:24Z")
> [@Khadaji](#): > > I have had a similar experience with hot water and athlete’s foot. When I started typing my post, **Pietro** had not yet posted. Then after my post, you post. I had thought I was being original with the “foot fungus + hotwater” thing; now I realize that I just suck. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Krebbs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5fc32e/32.png) [@Mr.Krebbs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Krebbs)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/43 "2005-12-18T18:58:40Z")
> [@Mr. Krebbs](#): > > When I started typing my post, **Pietro** had not yet posted. Uh, nevermind. I guess he had already posted, I just didn’t read it. ---
**Author:** ![Evil\_Captor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f17d59/32.png) [@Evil\_Captor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Evil_Captor)\ **Post date:** [December 18, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/44 "2005-12-18T19:56:34Z")
for the record, many people who enjoy **bondage** report that they enjoy the sensation of being tied up purely in physical terms. Plus, bondage /= SM. I and many others who enjoy bondage have no interest in inflicting pain, or feeling it. But scratching mosquito bites … mmmmmm, that’s good itching! ---
**Author:** ![MisterThyristor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecccb3/32.png) [@MisterThyristor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MisterThyristor)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/45 "2005-12-19T01:22:05Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > A nice poop. > [@Pietro](#): > > Huh? The OP asked about things that are pleasant through unpleasantness … what’s unpleasant about this? You’ve never had one that felt like you just crapped out a brick? I mean, the kind where you swear it had corners and was composed of concrete? (Although I guess that doesn’t really qualify as “nice”, more like “nasty”, actually.) ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/46 "2005-12-19T01:52:04Z")
> [@Gail](#): > > 90 minutes of Bikram Yoga. I used to hate sweating, but when I walk out of the studio, I feel so good. I was going to say the same thing. I’ve been taking two classes a week for the last three months or so and I still can’t decide if I like it or I just like it to be over. ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/47 "2005-12-19T13:05:16Z")
The other day, I had a deep-tissue massage. I’ve got what is basically a more-or-less permanent case of whiplash that results in VERY tight muscles. The massage therapist just went to town on my neck and it hurt like hell while she was doing it. But it was that good kind of pain that says “It’s okay; it’ll solve the problem”. Kinda like pulling off a bandaid. After the massage, I felt so damn good. My neck hadn’t been that loose in ages. I’ll go along with the really good poop, too. TMI alert: Saturday night, I had a poop so large that it felt like I was sitting on a traffic cone. It was nice getting rid of it, though. Robin ---
**Author:** ![xizor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xizor/32/102_2.png) [@xizor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xizor)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/48 "2005-12-19T19:56:12Z")
> [@Pietro](#): > > Huh? The OP asked about things that are pleasant through unpleasantness … what’s unpleasant about this? The key word is big. Like sphincter stretching big. That is the unpleasantness part. But then, it’s the kind that afterwards, you have to turn around and look at your creation (“Wow! That’s as big as my arm!”) ---
**Author:** ![Ol\_Gaffer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Ol\_Gaffer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ol_Gaffer)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 8:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/49 "2005-12-19T20:07:43Z")
> [@Pietro](#): > > My vote is for a scalding (I mean really scalding) hot shower when you have a terrible case of poison oak. Most intense mix of pain/pleasure I’ve ever experienced. That’s a good one. Some wildland fire fighters I worked with a couple of years ago referred to it as _oakgasm_. ---
**Author:** ![Avarie537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/48db29/32.png) [@Avarie537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Avarie537)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/50 "2005-12-19T20:13:40Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > The key word is big. Like sphincter stretching big. That is the unpleasantness part. But then, it’s the kind that afterwards, you have to turn around and look at your creation (“Wow! That’s as big as my arm!”) I’m pregnant, and I’ve started having days between BMs. I dropped one this morning that looked like it half filled the bowl. That first sphincter stretch is damned near painful, but after that, the feeling of relief is tremendous. Aaaaaaaahhh. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2005, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/51 "2005-12-19T20:42:41Z")
> [@Avarie537](#): > > I’m pregnant, and I’ve started having days between BMs. I dropped one this morning that looked like it half filled the bowl. That first sphincter stretch is damned near painful, but after that, the feeling of relief is tremendous. Aaaaaaaahhh. Funny, much the same can be said about labor and delivery… …eeeeewwww… ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/52 "2005-12-20T01:57:18Z")
When your stomach feels unpleasantly full and gurgly, and you just KNOW you have to run to the bathroom NOW…then you run in and sit there and ahhhh lose so much weight… Ick. I’m disgusted myself just reading this…yet it still sounds good. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 4:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/53 "2005-12-20T04:13:39Z")
I can’t believe there’s only been one mention of this, and they didn’t use the right word. It’s not a PIMPLE it’s a ZIT! A big-nasty-red-been-bugging-you-for-days-makes-a- noise-coming-out-and-you’ve-gotta-clean-the-mirror… You get the point. ---
**Author:** ![Clock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e19adc/32.png) [@Clock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clock)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2005, 8:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/54 "2005-12-20T08:12:12Z")
> [@xizor](#): > > A nice big poop. Seconded 😃 ---
**Author:** ![DEFIANT\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ea5d25/32.png) [@DEFIANT\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DEFIANT_1)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2005, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899/55 "2005-12-21T05:57:32Z")
The ecstatic pain / pleasure of a multihour tattoo session, followed by blissfull relief when it is over. I go every other week, I call it my therapy. Great stress buster. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/things-that-feel-good-because-theyre-unpleasant-no-not-bondage/335899.md?page=2)