“The results show that men and women who participated in the body-piercing and fire-walking portion of the ritual (high-ordeal participants) reported happier emotional states and less fatigue than spectators who participated in less stressful portions of the ritual or did not participate at all.” From Pacific Standard: The Perks of Being a Firewalker.

+ Sword Throat. Pharynx Hole. Yes, there are indeed side effects to sword swallowing. (And the Internet’s line of the day: “Sword swallowers without healthcare coverage expose themselves to financial as well as physical risk.”)