post #1921097

A method of execution or suicide performed by wrapping or tying a ligature in the form of a rope or similar material around the victim's neck, sometimes in the form of a hangman's noose, before supporting some or all of their body weight from that material.
Hanging is also performed non-lethally as a form of breath play.

Mechanisms of Unconsciousness and Death:

• Blood Choke:
• The ligature constricts the carotid arteries or jugular veins, preventing blood flow to or from the brain.
• This often causes unconsciousness within a few seconds, and can cause death within minutes if blood flow is entirely abated.
• This is the most common mechanism of unconsciousness in hanging.
• Strangulation:
• The ligature constricts the trachea, preventing the passage of air to or from the lungs.
• This mechanism of death can be short or take as long as, if not longer than, 20 minutes depending on the individual.
• This is the most common mechanism of death in hanging but is a less common mechanism of unconsciousness.
• The "Water Hammer" Effect:
• If someone experiencing a blood choke has pressure relieved too rapidly, it can result in blood rushing into the brain, causing a spike in blood pressure in the brain. Commonly, the result is fainting.
• If the ligature was not removed or detached from the point of suspension prior to fainting, it can result in death by one of the first two mechanisms.
• This is the most common mechanism of unconsciousness in those engaged in autoerotic asphyxiation, with accidental death being the result of one of the first two mechanisms.
• Blunt Impact:
• If the ligature has a large knot, such as in the case of a hangman's noose, it can snap against the head, knocking the victim unconscious in a similar manner to being struck on the head might, causing instantaneous unconsciousness.
• While the blunt force can be sufficient to directly cause brain death, more commonly, one of the first two mechanisms is the cause of death.
• Broken Neck:
• If the ligature is tightened with sufficient force, it can result in the fracture of the cervical vertebrae, often severing the spinal cord during the process.
• While possible to survive this mechanism, it is incredibly uncommon, usually resulting in instantaneous death.
• This is the most common mechanism of death in modern executions by hanging.
• Decapitation:
• If the ligature is tightened with excessive force, it can result in decapitation, where the head is separated from the body.
• As with other means of decapitation, death is often instantaneous, but is also far more gruesome than the above mechanisms.
• This mechanism of death is uncommon in modern times, however occurred periodically in the early days of judicial hangings.

Types of Hanging:

• Hoisting:
• The ligature is attached to a winch or crane.
• The ligature is reeled in, and the victim is suspended by being pulled upward.
• The hanged individual rarely drops, this only able to occur if they are standing on an elevated object and the ligature is not pulled vertically.
• Unconsciousness is often caused by a blood choke.
• Death can be the result of either blood choke or asphyxiation.
• This variation is uncommon, outside of breathplay or executions in Iran.
• No-Drop:
• The ligature is manually tightened around the neck and is attached to a point of suspension with little or no slack.
• The object supporting the individual being hanged such as a chair or trapdoor is removed or dropped.
• The hanged individual only drops a few inches.
• Unconsciousness is often caused by a blood choke, but can also be caused by asphyxiation.
• Death can be the result of either blood choke or asphyxiation.
• This variation is common in suicides and breathplay.
• Short Drop:
• The ligature is placed or tightened around the neck and is attached to a point of suspension with some slack.
• The object supporting the individual being hanged such as a chair or trapdoor is removed or dropped.
• The hanged individual doesn't usually drop more than one meter.
• Unconsciousness is often caused by asphyxiation, but can also be caused by a blood choke, or, rarely, blunt impact.
• Death is normally the result of asphyxiation.
• This variation was commonplace in medieval times.
• Long Drop (Judicial Hanging):
• The ligature is placed or tightened around the neck and is attached to a point of suspension with a measured amount of slack.
• The object supporting the individual being hanged such as a chair or trapdoor is removed or dropped.
• The distance the hanged individual falls is determined by their body weight, height, and other means.
• Unconsciousness is normally caused by a broken neck, however blunt impact can also cause unconsciousness if the measured distance was insufficient.
• Death is normally the result of spinal cord injury due to a broken neck. If botched, death is caused by asphyxiation or a blood choke.
• This variation is common in modern hanging executions.
• Botched Long Drop
• The ligature is placed or tightened around the neck and is attached to a point of suspension with an over-measured amount of slack.
• The object supporting the individual being hanged such as a chair or trapdoor is removed or dropped.
• The distance the hanged individual falls is determined by their body weight, height, and calculations made with that data (in this case, overestimated).
• Unconsciousness and Death are caused by decapitation due to the force of the rope's constriction being to great for the muscle and bone to remain intact.
• This variation is uncommon, usually occurring when a long drop is botched or the slack is overestimated.

See also

• suspension - When a character is hanging from the limbs/torso.