Figging is the practice of inserting a piece of skinned
ginger root into the human
anus or the
vagina in order to generate an acute burning sensation. Historically this was a method of punishment, but has since been adopted as a pratice of
BDSM. The term "figging" comes from the 19th century word "
feaguing."
This method of physical
punishment was first used as a form of
discipline on female slaves in
Ancient Greece, and during the
Victorian era it was unofficially used by the
Holy Roman Empire as a method of
disciplinary action or
corporal punishment for female prisoners. The detainee was
restrained to varying degrees in order to restrict mobility while the sensation grew from uncomfortable to extreme.
The ginger, which is skinned and often carved into the shape of a
butt plug, causes an intense burning sensation, and often intolerable discomfort to the subject. The effect reaches climax within two to five minutes after insertion, and persists for around thirty minutes before gradually easing. The ginger, after use, can be further skinned, and used to extend the experience; each fresh application of
ginger root refreshes the duration of the sensations in the subject.
If the person being figged tightens the muscles of the anus, the sensation becomes more intense. For this reason it is often used in caning to prevent clenching of the buttocks.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Figging
