# What's with rubbing your temples and loosing your gag reflex? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 7, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432 "2004-11-07T01:26:34Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/1 "2004-11-07T01:26:34Z")
At school I saw someone rub their temples for 15 seconds (more or less) then stick his hand down his throat and not hurl or gag. He says you lose your gag reflex for a while. I tried it this morning when brushing my teeth and sure enough I could brush my tounge without gagging. So what’s up with that? ---
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/2 "2004-11-07T02:19:33Z")
> [@flamingbananas](#): > > At school I saw someone rub their temples for 15 seconds (more or less) then stick his hand down his throat and not hurl or gag. He says you lose your gag reflex for a while. I tried it this morning when brushing my teeth and sure enough I could brush my tounge without gagging. So what’s up with that? :wally I can think of a more ‘fun’ way to demo that effect! ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/3 "2004-11-07T02:31:19Z")
Before I verify this empirically, **flamingbananas** , I want your word as a gentleman/woman and true-blue SDMB member in good standing that this is not one of those tricks _a la_ “gee, you hand smells.” ---
**Author:** ![PetW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d2c977/32.png) [@PetW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PetW)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/4 "2004-11-07T05:26:16Z")
Wow, I went into the bathroom armed with my toothbrush and decided to be the first person brave enough to do it (other than the OP). Believe it or not, it actually worked for me - I don’t know if it’s a placebo effect or what, but I’m glad that I’ll actually be able to brush the back of my tongue without worrying about vomitting and having to start over 😛 ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/5 "2004-11-07T05:35:30Z")
_takes notes_ This could be…useful… :o ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/6 "2004-11-07T05:42:35Z")
> [@jayjay](#): > > _takes notes_ > > This could be…useful… :o Thinking of taking up a career in leaking government secrets, **JayJay**? 😃 (Appropriate smiley, BTW!) ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/7 "2004-11-07T05:45:57Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Thinking of taking up a career in leaking government secrets, **JayJay**? 😃 > > (Appropriate smiley, BTW!) Well, I AM going to be in DC doing very, very naughty things next weekend… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Silentgoldfish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@Silentgoldfish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silentgoldfish)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/8 "2004-11-07T07:40:46Z")
I just tried it and played around with my epiglottis for a little bit… no gagging. I think this is something my gf urgently needs to find out about! ---
**Author:** ![Bear\_Nenno](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bear_nenno/32/3358_2.png) [@Bear\_Nenno](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bear_Nenno)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/9 "2004-11-07T08:44:16Z")
I dont get it. Even if this was some sort of way to “vagal” away your gag reflex, it doesn’t make sense. The facial nerve innervates the temple area. Not the CN IX or X, which should affect gag reflex. Stimulating cranial nerves can create huge changes in the body though. A person’s blood pressure and heart rate can be lowered simply by massaging the sides of his neck. But, this “massaging away the gag reflex” sounds more like a cool trick to play on girls. “Trust me… you wont gag. I rubbed your temples” IANAD; YMMV; DRUNK; CONFUSED… ---
**Author:** ![sleestak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/919ad9/32.png) [@sleestak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sleestak)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 9:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/10 "2004-11-07T09:18:26Z")
Well, This is kind of odd but may be related. I have a highly developed gag reflex, in other words I gag really easily. In fact cleaning my ears makes me gag. What is this you ask? Cleaning ears makes him gag? Yep. I meantioned this to my sister who is a dental hygenist. According to her reason this happens is that the ear/throat basically use the same nerve. The Q tip stimulates the nerve and since it is the same nerve the throat uses the signal goes to the same place but causes coughing/gagging. Now, IANADH but her explination seems to make sense. So I can believe that the nerve in the temple connects somewhere along the line with the nerve in the throat. But I could be wrong (so could my sister though I doubt it, she’s pretty smart about the medical stuff). Slee ---
**Author:** ![Cisco](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Cisco](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cisco)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/11 "2004-11-07T09:52:24Z")
Wtf?!! This actually works! It’s an incredibly odd feeling to have your finger somewhere it’s never been before without dire consequences. My girlfriend has to hear about this asap! ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/12 "2004-11-07T14:03:15Z")
Wow!, nice trick. ---
**Author:** ![bizzwire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/958977/32.png) [@bizzwire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizzwire)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/13 "2004-11-07T14:14:07Z")
God Bless you, **Flaminbananas.** ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/14 "2004-11-07T14:36:55Z")
It worked for me for a brief period. Anyone want to be really bold and try to determine how LONG the effect lasts? I wonder if thisould be a useful technique for EMTs inserting various tubes? ---
**Author:** ![KidCharlemagne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/ed8c4c/32.png) [@KidCharlemagne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KidCharlemagne)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/15 "2004-11-07T15:57:14Z")
This is the greatest trick I’ve heard in 10 years. It really does work. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/16 "2004-11-07T16:01:39Z")
> [@](#): > > Anyone want to be really bold and try to determine how LONG the effect lasts? Mine lasted for like 30 seconds more or less. I wonder if continuing to rub your temple prolongs it. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/17 "2004-11-07T16:19:05Z")
> [@flamingbananas](#): > > Mine lasted for like 30 seconds more or less. I wonder if continuing to rub your temple prolongs it. I tried this while continuing to rub my temples. But I couldn’t get past about 10 secinds. But I think maybe rubbing my rtemples is inducing some motion to my head, resulting in my finger brushing back and forth down my throat, which seems the be a little more than this suppression mechanism can handle in my case. Pity. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/18 "2004-11-07T16:25:51Z")
Ok, I’ve just verified that I can suppress the gag much longer without continuing to rub my temples. I started getting really uncomfortable around 45 seconds. Compared to 2-3 seconds if I don’t do any temple rubbing at all. But if I move my finger around alot, I’m gagging in 10-15 seconds (with temple rubbing). ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/19 "2004-11-07T16:29:27Z")
Isn’t this part of the “air sick prevention” things that they sell? Supposedly a strap with little plastic nubs positioned so that they apply pressure in the area just above and in front of your ears? You mean they actually work? ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2004, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432/20 "2004-11-07T16:29:47Z")
Well, as I’ve implied in this thread, I’m going on a little sex jaunt to DC next weekend. I certainly intend to use this technique. I’ll let you know how long it lasts. 😉 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-with-rubbing-your-temples-and-loosing-your-gag-reflex/273432.md?page=2)