We’ve all heard about horrendous torture techniques such as water boarding, stretching of the limbs, and even head crushing. But have you ever thought about the act of tickling as a form of torture? What seems like a harmless activity can actually have severe consequences. Indeed, tickling was used as a form or torture as early as A.D. 206 during the Chinese Han Dynasty (via Cultura Colectiva). Back then, it was a punishment used for criminals as tickling does not leave evidence of torture on the body and the person being tickled recovers quickly as opposed to other forms of torture. When the deed is done, there’s no evidence that it even happened.

Similarly, torturing by tickling was also done in ancient Rome, but in that case, criminals’ feet were put in a salt mixture, and then they were restrained while goats licked their feet. It may seem like a funny scenario, but it is said to get awfully painful the longer it is done. When a person is tickled, the initial response is to laugh, but the scenario of not being in control of what’s happening also brings panic and can be a physically and mentally torturous experience.

Is it possible to die from tickling?

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