This is something I have experienced for as long as I can remember and possibly why I have taken it for granted. However, if I hurt myself, from popping a spot (zit) to cracking my shin on a table, it is immediately followed by the taste of blood in my mouth (or iron if you like). It seems to happen if the pain is abrupt and sharp. The reason this question was prompted was due to an accident involving a stubborn fitting and a spanner.

There is a wealth of information on tasting blood due to intense exercise but not when injuring yourself (except for severe head injuries). I have found only one Reddit thread where others have experienced the same and there's some hand wavy speculation as to what causes this.

So I'm seeking a more detailed explanation, if there is one and/or if there are similar instances of such, under different circumstances...e.g do some people taste fish when they're near a large body of water ? It appears to be very associative at first glance.

 

 

Edited February 8, 20196 yr by Royston
grammarrrrr

May be related to synesthesia.

Electrical stimulation can be used for the relief of pain. Maybe pain can cause electrical stimulation as a stress reaction.

It seems electrical stimulation can be causal related to a metallic taste. https://academic.oup.com/chemse/article/30/3/185/284585

 

Edited February 9, 20196 yr by Itoero

Thanks for the responses both. 

After some cursory digging a metallic taste in the mouth requires a trigger e.g from poor oral hygiene to use of certain drugs. A metallic taste seems to be quite a general gustatory reaction.

I think the last point is quite salient but I'm struggling to understand why that is a general reaction.

Quote

Stress adversely affects the nervous system – While beneficial when in real danger, the stress response impacts the nervous system the most. When the nervous system is adversely affected by too frequent and/or dramatic stress responses, it can cause a number of nerve and nervous system anomalies, including affecting the taste buds in the mouth.

Moreover, a stress-response hyperstimulated nervous system can behave erratically, which can cause the ‘misreporting’ of sensory information, such as taste. Many anxious people experience a bad taste in the mouth due to stress-response hyperstimulation and how that affects the body’s nervous system and sensory organs.

https://www.anxietycentre.com/anxiety/symptoms/bad-taste-in-mouth-anxiety.shtml