Sword Swallowing
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Sword Swallowing
These questions and answers have been compiled from a poll of sword swallowers, a variety of audience members, reporters, interviewers, viewers to our site, doctors, and other resources from around the world, and we thank you all for your contributions. If you have other questions, please send them in and we'll try to post an answer for you.
Here are some definitions from dictionaries and the encyclopedia:
Encarta� World English Dictionary, North American Edition:
Webster's 3rd New International Dictionary of the English Language:
(Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, sword swallowing is quite real - it is an ancient but deadly art with a long and colorful history ).
In reality, sword swallowing is not an illusion or trick. (true) Those who practice it must first overcome their gag reflex at objects touching the back part of their mouths. (true) Long practice controls this reflex. (true) The pharynx must also be conditioned. (true) Objects introduced here cause much pain, and only after several trials can they be passed without great discomfort. (true) The stomach is conditioned in a similar manner. (true)
Exhibits of sword swallowing, beyond their entertainment value, have helped to further medicine by demonstrating to physicians that the pharynx could be habituated to contact, thus making experimentation and exploration of the involved organs possible. (true, sword swallowers are occasionally employed in medical research for their unique abilities)
So what is considered 'a sword' ?
The dictionary defines a 'sword' as:
For general membership purposes, the Sword Swallowers Association International defines a 'sword' as:
According to SSAI , the detailed definition of 'sword swallowing' is:
No. Many people think that sword swallowers use a fake sword (known as a "gaff" in the business) that curls or folds up into the handle, but this is simply not the case for real sword swallowers.
Some books also erroneously claim that sword swallowers use gimmicks such as plastic, asbestos or metal sheaths that are swallowed first to protect the esophagus, or gutta-percha tips to protect their insides from the tip of the blade when they swallow their swords. These too are false myths that simply are not true for real sword swallowers.
Think about it. It would actually be more uncomfortable to pre-swallow a sheath and attempt to walk out on stage or deliver an introduction for several minutes with a sheath down the throat than it is to actually swallow a sword.
There is no trick. There are no smoke and mirrors. Sword swallowers really do swallow real swords - that's why we've been called "sword swallowers" for thousands of years.
No, professional sword swallowing is definitely NOT a magic "trick" or "stage illusion" as many people believe, nor is it a Hollywood stunt. Yes, there are some magicians or illusionists who buy fake curl-up swords or do balloon tricks to imitate real sword swallowers. But the true professional sword swallower does not rely on gimmicks. Because professional sword swallowers generally work in close proximity to the audience, a fake "rollup" or telescoping sword (known as a "gaff" in the business) would be easily noticeable, and brand such a performer as a fake.
That's why many sword swallowers have an audience member, preferably someone from the medical field, to inspect the sword first, and sometimes even pull out the sword, just to verify that it is indeed real and not a trick.
Still don't believe it? Then check out the x-rays and read on...
The art of sword swallowing comes from a long and colorful history .
Sword swallowing originated about 4000 years ago in India around 2000 BC by fakirs and shaman priests who developed the art along with fire-walking on hot coals, snake handling, and other ascetic religious practices, as demonstration of their invulnerability, power, and connection with their gods. Legend has it that sword swallowing began in either the region that is now Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka, India, and there is still a tribe known as the Konda Dhora tribe in the state of Andhra Pradesh where the ancient art of sword swallowing was rumored to be passed down from father to son for centuries. Unfortunately, there is little evidence of this practice today.
From India, sword swallowing spread to China, Greece, Rome, Europe, and the rest of the world. Sword swallowing was often seen at festivals throughout the ancient Roman empire. Capuleius, in his Metamorphoseon, tells of seeing the feat in Athens, performed by a juggler on horseback, and sword swallowers were mentioned in 410 AD during the Teutonic fight for Rome.
The art and practice of sword swallowing traveled north from India into China around 750 AD, and became popular in Japan in the 8th century. It was often seen as part of an acrobatic form of entertainment known as Sangaku, which also featured juggling, tightrope walking, contortion, and other related skills. This type of performance art was "street theater" and the performers traveled throughout Japan. Sangaku, like other forms of drama popular in Japan prior to the 11th century, traced its origins to southern China and India.
The Dervish Orders of the Sufis reflect the meeting of Islam and Hindu thought in the 8th century ("dervish" is Persian for "beggar.") Some Dervish orders wander, others beg alms, and others live in Sufi monasteries. Some are religious entertainers hired to chant the zikr dirge, and some only perform Dervish ceremonies on special occasions. Dervishes are known for working themselves into frenzies, whirling themselves about, and committing great feats of strength (this is where we get the term "Whirling Dervishes"). One of the Dervish orders founded in 1182 AD was the order of Rifais who eat glass, walk on hot coals, and swallow swords.
Sword swallowing spread north from Greece and Rome into Europe at the hands of medieval jongleurs and other street performers who performed in public areas. In the Middle Ages, sword swallowers, like magicians, jugglers and other entertainers, were often condemned and persecuted by the Catholic Church. Still, in most places they were popular with the common folk, and the tradition of the wandering entertainer remained strong. By the mid-17th century, performers wandered more freely and became common sights on street corners and at festivals across Europe. Sword swallowing began to die out in Europe in the late 1800s, and in Sweden in 1893 when variety shows were formally outlawed.
Sword swallowing came to America in 1817, but did not start becoming popular in America until 1893 when sword swallowers were one of the hit features of the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. In the 1890s, sword swallowing became an expected part of traveling sideshows, which flourished from around 1899 to the 1950's. In the 1950's, with the increasing popularity and cost efficiency of mechanical rides at carnivals, one by one the side shows began to disappear, and with the growing popularity of TV, the Internet, video games and other forms of entertainment in the 1960s, 70s, and 80s, the popularity of sideshows and sword swallowing began to decrease. Since 1981, there have been only a very small number of the old-fashioned traveling 10-in-1 sideshows left touring the United States.
For general information on the history of sword swallowing, visit our History page.
For detailed information and photos of the top 100 sword swallowers over the past 100+ years, visit the Sword Swallowers Hall of Fame .
And for a list of the remaining living sword swallowers around the world, visit our Performers page.
There are less than a few dozen professional sword swallowers left actively performing around the world today .
In addition, there are a few dozen surviving injured or retired veteran sword swallowers who have swallowed a sword at one time in their lives, and a small number of beginners who have managed to swallow a sword at least one time in their lives, but may not be actively performing as full-time professionals.
In comparison with other rare or dangerous occupations and passions,
Yet there are less than a few dozen professional sword swallowers left actively performing the 4000 year old ancient art around the world today.
Out of a world population of over 7 billion people in the world today, that makes each sword swallower unique at being about 1 out of every 250 million people in the world.
For a list of the actively performing SSAI members and other sword swallowers around the world today, visit the Performers page.
In many cases, sword swallowing is often handed down from sword swallower to sword swallower, such as in a village in the state of Andhra Pradesh in central India where the ancient art is passed down from father to son, and sometimes the swords are handed down as well.
Sword swallowing is not something you can just learn on your own in an afternoon. Many people study the art for years, often as apprentices under experienced sword swallowers, before they manage to learn to master it. SSAI research from sword swallowers around the world has shown that it can take some people from 3 years to 7 years to learn to swallow a sword, and up to 5 years to master it , and some NEVER learn .
"It was either this or basketweaving!" --Natasha Veruschka
This is one of the most common questions we get asked every day.
Many of us come from varied entertainment backgrounds, and we all have different reasons for why we swallow swords, but in general, most of us do it because we CAN , and because most other people CAN'T! If we didn't, who would? Somebody has to do these things, or you would never get to see feats like this.
Many of us have chosen sword swallowing because it is a real feat, not a fake trick or deception, which sets us apart from other performers, knowing that there are a very limited number of sword swallowers left in the world today.
Some of us do it to educate others and demonstrate the possibilities of stretching the mind and overcoming the limitations of the human body.
Some of us do it to help preserve a dying ancient art.
Others do it because they just crave the attention!
If you enjoy TED talks , here's a TED talk from TEDxMaastricht Netherlands as to WHY one sword swallower swallows swords:
"I'd rather be a sword swallower. It's not so much that I like to swallow swords, it just that I like animals more when they're alive."
In order to swallow a sword, in medical terms, a sword swallower must:
More importantly, in psychological terms, it take years of practice - for some sword swallowers from 3 years to as much as 10 years - and a strong mind-over-matter mental attitude - to study and learn the medical physiology, to consciously relax one's mind and body, get past the uncomfortable sensations, focus very carefully on the correct alignment and placement, repress the gag reflex and retch reflex, and make sure you direct the blade precisely where it needs to go without puncturing yourself in order to swallow a single sword - and sometimes several more years to work up to multiple swords and other more complicated and daring feats. Combining these physical and mental disciplines correctly every time is what makes sword swallowing so extremely difficult and extremely dangerous.
Yes! If you poke yourself in the throat or esophagus while swallowing a sword, it can be quite painful and give you a "sword throat", or worse, a perforated esophagus or punctured stomach resulting in serious medical injuries. In some cases, if the esophageal sphincter is not relaxed and does not open properly while swallowing a sword or multiple swords, it can cause a painful bruising feeling in the center of the chest that can make it difficult to swallow food for several days.
For the most part, if done properly, sword swallowing usually does not actually hurt terribly painfully, but it can sure feel VERY uncomfortable! It almost always makes your eyes water, and it constantly makes you feel like you're going to gag or get sick.
Sometimes if the sword is a bit cold, you can feel the cool sensation as the blade travels down your throat. Often when withdrawing the sword, you are left with a taste of stomach acids and metal in your mouth.
The act of swallowing a sword is not really a fun or "pleasant" feeling itself, but the audience response usually makes it worth the discomfort.
"It tastes like a fork!"
-- Dai Andrews
People often ask what it tastes like to swallow a sword. In some cases, depending on the type of metal used in the blade, it can sometimes taste a bit metallic. Lady Sandra Reed commented on the taste of metal and Red Stuart often says that your mouth and throat need to learn to overcome the metallic taste so that your throat does not rebel against the strange taste going down your throat.
However, many of the newer swords nowadays have little to no flavor at all - much like the taste of a fork - except as the sword is being removed, at which time there may be the unpleasant taste of the stomach acids.
Yes, and man, those paper cuts can hurt like crazy!
Seriously, sword swallowing is one of THE MOST DANGEROUS performance arts still being performed today. Sword swallowers risk their lives every time they swallow a sword, just for the audience's entertainment pleasure!
At the very least, sword swallowers often get sore or "sword" throats from bruising trauma or from the introduction of foreign germs and bacteria into abrasions in the esophagus. Oftentimes these sore throats can last several days where it may not be possible to eat solid foods for up to a week or more.
As far as getting a more serious cut by a sword, yes, sometimes sword swallowers DO get cut, and in many cases, seriously injured! First of all, any cuts inside the body are very hard to diagnose, treat, repair and heal. There is always the very serious risk of damage to the throat, vocal cords, esophagus, lungs or stomach, and if it should happen, a lacerated or perforated esophagus or punctured stomach is extremely difficult to treat and repair, and can often become fatal very quickly. Even the slightest nick, perforation, or puncture can lead to the bacterial infection peritonitis which can quickly become quite deadly, sometimes within 24 hours.
Since the blade passes within an eigth of an inch from several internal organs, serious injuries can be caused by puncturing the blade through the wall of the esophagus and into the heart, lungs or other organs or tissue around the esophagus, resulting in severe bleeding, a buildup of fluids around the lungs, heart, and other tissues, pleurisy, swelling, infection, and in many cases, a quick death.
Sometimes it may be only a slight nick, sometimes it can be abrasive cuts on the walls of the esophagus after repeated swallowings, while other times it can be a perforation or puncture wound, but in any case, injuries are quite dangerous and the effect can be quite painful and frightening, sometimes leaving the sword swallower unable to eat solid food for several days.
The lining of the esophagus and stomach are also richly lined with a complex series of blood vessels, and if a sword swallower punctures a main blood vessel in the esophagus or stomach, it can cause serious internal bleeding which can quickly become fatal. In some cases, sword swallowers have lacerated blood vessels and nearly bled to death in a matter of minutes as blood shoots out of the mouth. In other cases, the bleeding may be contained internally within the lower esophagus or stomach and may not be detected until later as a black stool sample.
Those sword swallowers who swallow neon tubes also run the additional risk of the neon tube bursting inside of them, leaving them injured from the explosion and bleeding from the cut glass, and a very difficult time trying to remove the broken and jaded neon tube.
Sometimes over time after years of sword swallowing, sword swallowers can develop complications such as dysphagia , a difficulty in swallowing, acid reflux, or esophageal cancer from repeatedly introducing stomach acids to the walls of the esophagus when removing the blades.
SSAI keeps a detailed database of sword swallowing injuries based on notifications of injuries by sword swallowers and doctors around the world, and has become known as a repository for information on sword swallowing injuries. SSAI reports that there are on average from four to seven serious sword swallowing injuries requiring hospitalization each year , and dozens of other injuries that go unreported.
Many times sword swallowers simply decide to give up swallowing swords after serious or even minor injuries.
That all depends on the injury...
For severe injuries such as scissored blades causing lacerations, or puncture wounds causing a lacerated esophagus or perforated stomach, the sword swallower may feel a sudden icy-hot burning sensation or have a difficulty breathing, and should be RUSHED immediately to the nearest hospital or emergency room for immediate treatment to prevent bleeding to death. In some cases, the doctor may need to open up the patient in order to repair the injury or stop fluids from filling and contaminating the thoraxic chamber around the heart, give blood transfusions, antibiotics to prevent infection, etc. In cases like this, it helps to have your SSAI membership ID card with your emergency contact information, blood type and other information handy whenever performing in case of emergency.
For minor scrapes in the back of the throat and upper esophagus causing sore throats, many sword swallowers drink ice water to help stop the bleeding, take antibiotics and heavy doses of healing vitamins such as vitamin C, A and E, and some sword swallowers drink Aloe Vera juice from places such as Fruit of the Earth to help heal the esophagus quicker. To help relieve the pain of the "sword throat", many sword swallowers gargle with hot saltwater, or take cough drops such as Fisherman's Friend or Hall's Mentholyptus , or Chloraseptic throat lozenges. Some over-the-counter or prescription products designed to treat heartburn, acid reflux, dysphagia and other upper GI issues such as Nexium , Prevacid , Prilosec , or Zantac may help in healing the esophagus more quickly. (If you are a product manufacturer who is interested in having us test or endorse your products in exchange for advertising commercials or corporate sponsorship, please contact us ).
Some sword swallowing injuries may cause so much severe pain that it may be difficult to eat solid food or swallow for several days or weeks. Below is a list of suggestions compiled from a recent survey of sword swallowers of things that sword swallowers have taken after minor sword swallowing injuries:
After an injury, many sword swallowers stay away foods or drinks containing acids that can irritate the stomach, or abstain from taking aspirin and other diuretics that thin the blood, prevent clotting, and cause the sword swallower to bleed easily.
Here are some items that doctors have recommended to AVOID ingesting after a sword swallowing injury:
Suggestions from sword swallowers for healing and recuperating after the injury:
If you are a sword swallower, please complete the Sword Swallower Survey and let your fellow sword swallowers and the medical community know what treatment you or your doctor recommend to improve recovery after an injury.
Again, sword swallowing is extremely dangerous and numerous people have died attempting it! Do NOT attempt sword swallowing unless you are under the direct tutelage of a seasoned professional sword swallower!
We know of at least 29 deaths over the past 150 years from sword swallowing injuries based on medical reports, death certificates, obituaries and other information. There are undoubtedly more that have gone unrecorded over the past 4000 years.
Just a few of the more unusual sword swallowing deaths from sword swallowing injuries:
View the entire list of deaths on the Sword Swallower's Hall of Fame.
There is a myth that has been circulating around the Internet about a sword swallower who supposedly swallowed a closed umbrella that accidentally opened inside him, killing him.
Examples: [Collected from the Internet, 2007-2011]
Several variations of this urban legend have been floating around the Internet for years, including stories of sword swallowers who die from swallowing umbrellas in Canada, Germany, and New Jersey. Here are a few variations, all unsubstantiated:
[1999] "In 1999, a German sword swallower died after he put an umbrella down his throat - and accidentally pushed the button that opened it." ( ChaCha )
[18 April 1999, Bonn, Germany] "A sword swallower died in Bonn after he put an umbrella down his throat - and accidentally pushed the button that opened it." ( Darwin Awards )
[Bonn, Germany] "A sword swallower's trick backfired on him when he stuck an umbrella down his throat - and accidentally pushed the button that opened it." (Weekly World News, July 8, 1997 and March 21, 2000)
[Canada] "A Canadian sword swallower's death occurred as a result of attempting the trick with an umbrella." ( alt.baldspot )
[January 13, 2007, Barnegat, NJ] "A sword swallower tries to win the crowd by swallowing an umbrella." ( Spike TV, "1000 Ways to Die" )
In the March 21, 2000 "Weekly World News" , it was reported that "a sword swallower's trick backfired on him when he stuck an umbrella down his throat - and accidentally pushed the button that opened it." This was an exact word-for-word reprint of their earlier report that was published in the July 8, 1997 issue of "Weekly World News" .
This urban legend was later embellished and perpetuated in the Spike TV show 1000 Ways to Die , which premiered on February 8, 2009, and which shows fictional clips of unusual deaths. In this episode entitled "Dumbrella", a fictional sword-swallower named "Boris" was challenged to swallow an umbrella, puncturing his esophagus and killing him. The incident is said to have taken place at a "Woods Carnival" in Barnegot NJ in 2007, although there are no records of this actually happening , or of a sword swallower named "Boris" or a carnival named "Woods Carnival". The real sword swallower in this episode is George the Giant MacArthur who played the part of "Boris" the fictional sword swallower.
That's precisely why most of us do it... because sword swallowing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world!
Many sword swallowers make it a point to clean their blades with high percentage alcohol or Listerine before and after each performance. Others use only saliva and learn to develop a tolerance and immunity to germs.
Many of us sword swallowers prefer our swords "au natural". We don't use anything on our swords or on our throats. Unless our throats are extremely dry, the saliva in the throat is usually lubricant enough to help the sword slide down.
Most sword swallowers, however, prefer to lick their swords with a little saliva to libricate them so they are not quite so dry before they swallow them.
Other sword swallowers use cooking oil, olive oil, or Japanese Kurobara Camellia oil to help the sword slide down. Some of us also use oils on our blades after the performance to help keep our blades lubricated and to protect them from pitting and rusting.
Yes and no. In the beginning many sword swallowers do hold their breath while learning to repress the gag reflex until they learn to relax and become more proficient at sword swallowing. However, after relaxing, many sword swallowers are able to relax and breathe while swallowing a sword.
The "Adam's apple", known in the medical profession as the prominentia laryngea , is actually a central ridge of thyroid cartilage in the front of the throat below the hyoid bone where two plates of cartilage meet to surround and protect the larynx or voice box. When swallowing a sword, the sword goes behind the epiglottis, past the hyoid bone, down the esophagus, and behind the larynx and Adam's apple, so the sword does not actually touch the Adam's apple itself. But with the head tilted back, the pressure of the sword blade in the esophagus causes some slight displacement in the throat, which can in turn displace the Adam's apple, causing the Adam's apple to be temporarily distended and appear to protrude slightly more while the sword is down the throat.
Additionally, when sword swallowers swallow wavy Kriss or flamberge blades, you can see the Adam's apple wobble back and forth as the sword is inserted and withdrawn (which sword swallower Alex Linton used to call the "Shimmy-Shawabble" ). But in general, no, sword swallowing does not harm or enlarge one's Adam's apple.
Some sword swallowers make it a point to bite down on the blade, mostly as a security measure and safeguard to prevent against actually swallowing the blade if the handle were to come loose. Other sword swallowers sometimes bite down slightly upon removal of the blade for showmanship in order to create a metallic "schwing" sound while removing the blade for theatrical effect. However, in general, it is not necessary to bite down on or "chew" the blade, as in some cases, it could chip the teeth.
As for actual 'swallowing' the blade, the act of swallowing is a complex process called peristalysis that involves using some 50 pairs of muscles in the throat. Most sword swallowers do not actually 'swallow' the sword, but instead relax the throat enough to allow the blade to slide down the esophagus, although some sword swallowers do intentionally cause the blade to move down their throats by using their throat muscles in the peristalysis act of swallowing.
No, it is not necessary to dislocate your collarbones or any other bones in order to swallow a sword. There is one sword swallower in Australia known as Chayne the Space Cowboy who claims to have a condition that allows him to dislocate his joints, but in general, it is not necessary to do so in order to swallow a sword, and as far as is known, no other sword swallowers do it.
This usually depends on how tall the sword swallower is and how long their esophagus is. The length of the average human esophagus ranges from about 23-25 cm, and from 36 to 44 cm to the bottom of the stomach, averaging around 40 cm in length. Most sword swallowers can swallow swords from about 16" to 22" (about 40 to 60 cm) in length, but the average length of swords swallowed ranges from 19 to 22 inches, often with a few inches of blade extending out of the mouth. We can usually tell the blade is in as far as possible because the sword won't go any further once it hits the bottom of the stomach. At that point, when the blade stops, we know we are at the bottom of the stomach, and it feels uncomfortable to push the blade any further (which is NOT recommended!).
Sometimes after eating a full meal, the stomach can be somewhat stretched, so with a full stomach, the blade can sometimes sit a little deeper. An old sword swallower's trick is to drink several glasses of water before performing in order to make the stomach heavier and sink lower, thereby allowing the sword swallower to swallow slightly longer blades.
The unofficial world's record for longest blade length was set by George the Giant MacArthur at 33 inches long (over 83 cm), but George is said to be about 7' 2" tall!
Most of us can only keep a sword down a matter of few seconds - We are constantly repressing the gag reflex which feels like it makes you want to gag at any second - it feels a little like trying to hold back a sneeze.
Another factor is that when you have an object in your mouth and pressing on your tongue such as a blade, your mouth naturally begins to salivate. With your head turned upwards and your epiglottis held open by the blade, there is the feeling that the saliva is going to run down your throat and into your lungs, creating the urge to swallow or cough.
Some veteran sword swallowers are able to repress the gag reflex a little longer, while others only keep a blade in for a few seconds, long enough to spin around or bow to the audience, before we are ready to withdraw the blade before gagging or choking on our saliva.
No, not that we are aware of. Putting things into your lungs is a good way to accelerate your death - it is probably possible, but would result in serious problems and death!
Sword swallowers often swallow a variety of implements including sword blades, daggers, bayonets, and other objects besides swords to add to their acts. Here are a few of the various sword types that sword swallowers have been known to swallow:
The answer you'll hear from most sword swallowers: Nope, afraid not... Sword swallowing is extremely dangerous, we don't know you, and liability is such a huge issue in our litigious society these days.
Please understand that this is one of the most common (and annoying) questions we get asked all the time. Asking this question of a professional sword swallower is like asking David Copperfield to show you how to saw your girlfriend in half so you can "impress your friends." However, unlike the fact that just about anyone can learn the classic "sawing a woman in two" routine from many sources, unfortunately, not everyone can learn to swallow swords, even with the proper training and years of practice. Besides, even though it is not a "trick", we don't like to go around teaching the trademark of our livelihood for others to become our competition, nor do we advocate or condone its practice or attempts by the untrained.
Sword swallowing is not only difficult to watch and almost too incredible to believe, but it is also one of the most dangerous of all the performance arts. To be done properly and with the least amount of risk of injury requires long hours of study, training, practice, and patience. It is NOT something that just anyone can do in an afternoon after only a few brief words of instruction.
Sword swallowing is also one of the most unpleasant things a person could ever feel. The human body was designed to rebel against foreign objects being introduced into the throat, and the muscles of the esophagus completely reject anything by triggering the gag reflex in the throat, the wretch reflex in the stomach, and by creating the feeling of being sick to your stomach. Sooner or later most people give up; very few learn to actually tolerate it, and succeed at learning it. But it never really feels comfortable or pleasant.
Many people have attempted sword swallowing and have gotten themselves severely injured or even killed. Others have spent years attempting to learn it, and have never been able to successfully master it either mentally or physically. Only a few serious students have managed to successfully learn it by studying seriously under the tutelage of seasoned sword swallowers, and the process can take up to three years to seven years or longer to master. Even many seasoned professionals have simply decided to quit sword swallowing and refuse to perform it any longer. A few seconds of glory are not worth the risk of death.
Even if you manage to survive and not kill yourself, there is still the very serious risk of damage to your throat, vocal cords, esophagus, and stomach, and if it should happen, a perforated esophagus or stomach is extremely hard to repair and is quite often fatal. A small puncture, perforation, or even the slightest nick can lead to the bacterial infection peritonitis that can quickly turn deadly. Most intelligent people realize it's just not worth the risk.
Nope, not really. You're looking at the most authoritative and comprehensive compilation of information on the subject right here on this website. If you are still interested in finding out more, the main book out that deals with sword swallowing is " Memoirs of a Swordswallower " (originally entitled " Step Right Up ") by Daniel P. Mannix, where he describes his few months' adventures with a sideshow in 1949, but which does not go into detail on how to actually swallow a sword. (There has been a bit of discussion among sword swallowers and sideshow folks questioning whether Mannix actually did have any experience traveling with a sideshow or learning to swallow a sword, or if the story is pure fiction.)
If you are still obsessed with actually learning to try to swallow a sword, there are sometimes sideshow classes taught for a fee at Coney Island Sideshow by the Seashore in Brooklyn, New York.
Disclaimer: We accept no responsibility or liability for your actions. In other words, "DON'T EVEN TRY IT!" No, we're not trying to be mean, we just don't want you to get hurt!
If you are still really interested in performing, we highly recommend that you take up some other hobby such as juggling or magic.
World Sword Swallower's Day 2014 will be held on Saturday, February 22, 2014 at 2:22:14pm at Ripley's Believe It or Not Odditoriums around the world. Details and more information...
* In order to qualify to become an approved member of SSAI , an sword swallower must be able to swallow a sword with blade at least 16 inches ( 40 cm) in length. Due to the dangers involved in sword swallowing, SSAI does NOT encourage sword swallowers to attempt to swallow blades longer than 24 inches ( 61 cm ) in length.
**Accepted minimum blade width -- from 1/2 to 3/4 inch in width.
Due to the extreme danger and increased risk of injury from swallowing multiple swords (sometimes known as a "sword sandwich") and the amount of time that other sword swallowers would be required to retain their swords, SSAI does NOT encourage sword swallowers to swallow multiple swords individually one at a time due to the increased risks of scissoring and perforation of the esophagus.
If you are media interested in covering World Sword Swallower's Day , please contact us .
If you are a serious sword swallower and you would like to become a contributing member of SSAI , please send an e-mail with a description of your history of sword swallowing and a photo or link to a website which shows or describes you actually swallowing a sword of at least 16 inches (40 cm) in length, or provide a referral from a recognized sword swallower who is already a member of SSAI who can verify that you are a legitimate sword swallower before we can approve your membership. At such time as your claim can be thoroughly verified that you are indeed a legitimate sword swallower, you can then submit your application and payment for membership into SSAI .
We hope you understand the reasoning behind our stringent requirements, and look forward to hearing from you.
This FAQ is a collaborative work in progress compiled from a poll of sword swallowers and based on questions asked by a variety of audience members, reporters, interviewers, doctors, nurses, viewers to our site, and other resources from around the world. Special thanks to Red Stuart, Dai Andrews, Natasha Veruschka, George McArthur, Travis Fessler, Chris Steele, Thom Sellectomy, Geoffrey Cobb, Jewels, Miss Behave, and all the other sword swallowers, doctors, nurses, reporters, interviewers, audience members and others who have contributed questions, answers and input for this FAQ.
If you would like to quote any portion of this FAQ for use in an article/website, please contact us .
How Sword Swallowing Works | HowStuffWorks
Sword Swallowing FAQ
Sword swallowing and its side effects | The BMJ
Sword swallowing | Словари и энциклопедии на Академике
sword swallowing in Russian - English-Russian Dictionary | Glosbe
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Research
Sword swallowing and its side effects
BMJ
2006 ;
333
doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.39027.676690.55
(Published 21 December 2006)
Cite this as: BMJ 2006;333:1285
Brian Witcombe , consultant radiologist 1 , Dan Meyer , executive director 2 Author affiliations 1 Department of Radiology, Gloucestershire Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Gloucester GL1 3NN 2 Sword Swallowers' Association International, 3729 Belle Oaks Drive, Antioch, Tennessee 37013, USA Correspondence to: B Witcombe brian.witcombe@glos.nhs.uk
Accepted 28 October 2006
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Intended for healthcare professionals
Objective
To evaluate information on the practice and associated ill effects of sword swallowing.
Design
Letters sent to sword swallowers requesting information on technique and complications.
Setting
Membership lists of the Sword Swallowers' Association International.
Participants
110 sword swallowers from 16 countries.
Results
We had information from 46 sword swallowers. Major complications are more likely when the swallower is distracted or swallows multiple or unusual swords or when previous injury is present. Perforations mainly involve the oesophagus and usually have a good prognosis. Sore throats are common, particularly while the skill is being learnt or when performances are too frequent. Major gastrointestinal bleeding sometimes occurs, and occasional chest pains tend to be treated without medical advice. Sword swallowers without healthcare coverage expose themselves to financial as well as physical risk.
Conclusions
Sword swallowers run a higher risk of injury when they are distracted or adding embellishments to their performance, but injured performers have a better prognosis than patients who suffer iatrogenic perforation.
Sword swallowers know their occupation is dangerous. The Sword Swallowers' Association International (SSAI, www.swordswallow.org ) recognises those who can swallow a non-retractable, solid steel blade at least two centimetres wide and 38 centimetres long. As we found only two English language case reports of injury resulting from sword swallowing, 1
2 we explored the technique and side effects of this unusual practice.
We sent a letter to members and contacts of the association asking if they were willing for data held in its archives to be published and asking how they learnt the technique and how many swords they had swallowed in the previous three months. We did not send out a medical questionnaire but invited swallowers to describe any medical problems associated with sword swallowing. One medical adviser was approached after one swallower, injured during the course of the study, gave her consent, and a few close associates of one of the authors (DM) answered direct medical questions. We obtained written consent from everyone whose history is mentioned. We excluded cases in which injury was related to swallowing items other than swords, such as glass, neon tubes, spear guns, or jack hammers.
We sent letters to 110 members or contacts of the association in 16 countries; 48 responded and 46 (41.8%) consented to information being published (40 were men). The average age was 31 (range 16-64). Most were self taught and described how they learnt the technique. The average age when they learnt sword swallowing was 25 (range 13-46); nine learnt as teenagers. The average height was 176 cm (range 58-191 cm), average weight 79 kg (range 46-127 kg), and the longest sword swallowed was on average 60 cm (range 43-79 cm). There was no apparent correlation between the length of the longest sword each person could swallow and their height (correlation coefficient 0.20) or weight (−0.08). Twenty five had swallowed more than one sword at a time, five had swallowed more than 10 at a time, and one had swallowed 16 swords together (fig 1). ⇓ Over the previous three months, the average number of swords swallowed was 43 (range of 0-300).
Fig 1 One of the authors (DM) swallowing seven swords
Thirteen respondents did not volunteer any medical information, but 19 described sore throats, usually when they were learning to swallow, after performing too frequently, or when they were swallowing multiple or odd shaped swords. Lower chest pain, often lasting days, followed some performances and was usually treated by abstaining from practice. They rarely sought medical advice. Six suffered perforation of the pharynx or oesophagus. Three of these had surgery to the neck, one having a 1.5 cm laceration at the level of D2 and a pneumothorax, one a pinhole laceration at C6 and surgical emphysema, and the other having a pharyngeal tear. The perforations were treated conservatively in three patients, one of whom had a second perforation with aspiration of a neck abscess after further injury. Three others also had probable perforations, one of whom was told that a sword had “brushed” the heart, and one had pleurisy and another pericarditis after injury, suggesting extraoesophageal trauma. No one underwent thoracotomy, although one had a breadknife removed transabdominally. Sixteen mentioned intestinal bleeding, varying in quantity from melaena or finding some blood on a withdrawn sword to large haematemases necessitating transfusion. No members of the association had died from sword swallowing, but the cost of medical care was a concern with three members receiving medical bills around $23 000-$70 000 (£12 000-£37 000, €18 000-€55 000).
Our study relied on the memory of some of the 50 sword swallowers active in the English speaking world as well as some retired performers. Respondents could have exaggerated side effects, but it is more likely that details were overlooked. We did know of some incidents that involved non-respondents, and most serious events probably would have come to the attention of the association.
Some respondents swallowed a sword easily, but mastery for most required daily practice over months or years. The gag reflex is desensitised, sometimes by repeatedly putting fingers down the throat, but other objects are used including spoons, paint brushes, knitting needles, and plastic tubes before the swallower commonly progresses to a bent wire coat hanger. The performer must then learn to align a sword with the upper oesophageal sphincter with the neck hyper-extended. The next step requires relaxation of the pharynx and oesophagus and particularly the horizontal fibres of cricopharyngeus, which are not usually under voluntary control. 3 Devgan et al have shown that one swallower was able to reduce voluntarily the resting pressure of this sphincter by 10-20 mm Hg. 3 This swallower described having to “relax the muscles of his neck,” and several swallowers mentioned not being able to perform when they could not “relax” or the throat “closing up” when sore. Huizinga 4 described a swallower who “sucked in” the sword, and a lateral radiograph in Huizinga's paper shows the pharynx filled with air, but preliminary air swallowing is not invariable. Force must not be used and the clean sword is usually lubricated at least with saliva. One performer used butter, and one had to retire because of a dry mouth caused by medication.
Once the swallower has got the sword past the cricopharyngeal sphincter and relaxed the oesophagus, he or she must learn to control retching so the sword can be passed down to the cardia. The cardia lies about 40 cm from the teeth and the sword straightens the flexible and distensible oesophagus. Further progress depends not only on the swallower learning to relax the lower oesophageal sphincter and controlling retching but also on the shape of the stomach. The angle of the gastro-oesophageal junction and lesser curve vary, being obtuse in the vertically oriented stomach, particularly when it is full, and more acute in the high horizontal stomach often present in thickset individuals (fig 2). ⇓ A 220 cm giant is said to hold the record for the longest swallowed sword (82.5 cm) and body build should have a bearing on what length of sword can pass. Nevertheless, we did not find any correlation between the longest sword an individual could swallow and their size, suggesting other factors are important.
Fig 2 Barium radiographs showing the differing angle of the gastro-oesophageal junction in four individuals
Some experienced artistes add embellishments that increase danger. Some let the sword fall abruptly, a manoeuvre known as “the drop,” controlling the fall of the sword with the muscles of the pharynx, and some invite members of the audience to move the sword. One lies prone on a bed of nails; one sometimes performs on a unicycle; and another under water.
Sore throats—“sword throats”—occur when swallowers are learning, when performances are repeated frequently, or when odd shaped or multiple swords are used. Lower chest pains occur occasionally, most often after an obviously damaging swallow or when the “drop” is practised frequently. One performer described this pain after performing the drop 40 times a day in a state fair, and another described shoulder tip pain implying diaphragmatic irritation. Proprietary medicines are used for this problem, physicians are rarely consulted, and abstinence from swallowing swords is the main treatment.
Major injury is sometimes preceded by a previous painful performance, suggesting that minor injury may predispose to more serious damage. Occasionally a sword is difficult to advance or retract, presumably because of spasm or mucosal dryness related to nervousness or soreness. Overforceful efforts to move the sword may then cause trauma, and this resulted in oesophageal perforation in one performer. Several cases of perforation or severe haemorrhage occurred when swallowers used multiple or unusual swords or when a technical error was committed, often because of distraction. For example, one swallower lacerated his pharynx when trying to swallow a curved sabre, a second lacerated his oesophagus and developed pleurisy after being distracted by a misbehaving macaw on his shoulder, and a belly dancer suffered a major haemorrhage when a bystander pushed dollar bills into her belt causing three blades in her oesophagus to scissor. Of the 12 cases of probable perforation, including the two previously described in the literature, at least five involved the cervical or upper dorsal oesophagus with only one definite pharyngeal perforation. The other injuries were either lower down or the exact level of perforation was uncertain. All these patients survived, and no contacts of the association have died as a direct result of sword swallowing and no deaths have been reported in the medical literature. There is historical evidence elsewhere, however, and deaths from swallowing swords and other items such as neon tubes are described on the internet ( www.swordswallow.com/halloffame.php ).
The first endoscopy by Adolph Kussmaul in 1868 used mirrors and a gasoline lamp in a sword swallower, 4 but rigid instruments, with their high rate of perforation, have largely been replaced. 5 Patients injured during endoluminal procedures tend to be older and have pre-existing disease, the injuries usually complicating therapeutic manoeuvres. 6
7 Iatrogenic perforation is sometimes not recognised until an instrument has passed well into the mediastinum of the patient, who is usually not fully conscious, and it tends to occur either adjacent to a lesion or where the pharynx narrows down to the oesophagus at or near Kilian's dehiscence. 6 Most sword injuries were lower than this level, suggesting that the failure of a straight sword to negotiate the oesophageal lumen as it curves to fit the dorsal kyphosis may contribute to injury.
As in iatrogenic perforation, penetration is the main cause of injury but lacerations and scissoring injuries occur. A sword rarely passes out into the mediastinum and, although an injured swallower may realise that the performance has not proceeded smoothly, the injury may be recognised only when surgical emphysema, pain, or other symptoms develop, and there is often a delay before medical advice is sought.
Many factors, including delay and the size and site of the injury, have a bearing on outcomes. Mortality from iatrogenic perforation is quoted at 10-30%, 7
8 but we did not find any deaths from sword swallowing.
Our 46 respondents collectively had swallowed over 2000 swords in the three months before we contacted them but the complications relate to their professional lifetimes. Although the risk of sustaining life threatening injury is low for an experienced swallower while relaxed and concentrating on swallowing a single sword, the risk over a career is high. The prognosis for a sword swallower who does sustain upper gastrointestinal injury seems better than for patients who suffer iatrogenic perforation.
Two cases of perforation from sword swallowing have been reported in the English medical literature; other sources suggest deaths have occurred
Perforation or major haemorrhage occur infrequently
Pharyngeal problems are common particularly during the learning phase
Occasional chest pains are usually self treated
Many performers accept a financial as well as a physical risk
We thank Steven Kay of Manchester Business School for statistical help and members of the SSAI.
Contributors: BW is guarantor and designed the study. DM ( Dan@swordswallow.com ) has attended four international conventions arranged by the SSAI, maintains its archive, and has had contact with most known sword swallowers over several years.
Competing interests: None declared.
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