Doctor explains why you shiver while peeing
A doctor has explained why some people experience a spine-tingling shiver when they pee. Check it out:
Dr Anthony Youn, a holistic plastic surgeon from Michigan, has amassed an impressive 8.1 million followers on TikTok by sharing pearls of medical wisdom.
Some of his most successful videos entail myth busting and explaining unusual biological phenomenons, which is exactly what we're focusing on today.
Advert
Stitching with a clip of a TikToker highlighting the pee shivers, Youn goes on to explain that while no one knows exactly why some people shiver when they're taking a leak, there are two strong hypotheses.
"The first is that some people's temperature drops when they're peeing, and this may cause a body to reflexively shiver," he says.
This makes a lot of sense, especially when this is contrasted with the heat coming from the urine – apologies for the graphic imagery there but we all do it.
The doctor went on: "Another reason is that peeing may stimulate the sympathetic nervous system, which also can cause you to shiver and shake."
Beyond Dr Youn's handy explanation, did you know that there's even a name for the pee shivers? They're called post-micturition convulsion syndrome.
Though it's more commonly experienced amongst men, some women do get it too – and if you're one of the lucky ones, you'll be pleased to know that it's completely harmless.
Hundreds of people commented on the post to let the world know they're part of the club, while others came up with some theories of their own.
"I think I get the shiver of relief after holding it in for too long," said one, which actually makes a lot of sense.
This isn't the first time Dr Youn's come to the rescue with fascinating explainers – last year, he opened up about the average size of the male penis and how it's actually shorter than many of us think.
While the UK's National Health Service states the average manhood is between five to seven inches when erect (which is a very large margin), the medical expert says it's likely closer to the shorter end of the scale and then some.
"Studies show that the average length of a man's erect junk is 5.15 inches," he said.
"But the real length is probably less than that because most men with small wieners probably wouldn't consent to being involved in those studies."
The research that has gone into working out what the average Johnson measures out to be has been controversial to say the least, and frankly it's pretty indecisive.
So if you are a penis owner and you're concerned it's on the smaller size, best ignore those 'average statistics' and embrace what you've got going on down there.
Daisy Phillipson