Hunger Pains vs. Hunger Pangs

Growing up you have probably experienced "growing pains," which were totally genuine but actually had nothing to do with your physical development; this is a topic for another post. Now where the phrase “growing pains” is correct, when we experience discomfort in our tummies due to lack of sustenance and exclaim, “Oh, darling, I am distraught with hunger pains at the moment,” we would be incorrect. It does make logical sense to attribute these mid-section growlings and contractions to “pains,” because that is exactly what they are (so in reality, you are not too far off if you use the phrase “hunger pains” and if someone berates you for doing so, you should immediately cut them out of your life and buy a voodoo doll of their likeness to keep them at bay) but, as I am one for language accuracy, I must relay this information because you never know when you will find yourself surrounded by language aficionados and cannot afford another mistake, especially since you had already misspoke earlier in the day and called the ice “rink” a “ring” in front of a bunch of youth league ice hockey moms.

“HUNGER PAINS”

Since “pang” is an outdated and often poetic word, as well as sounds so similarly, it is often confused with the word “pain.” Also, technically, “pangs” are “pains,” so, although the phrase “hunger pains” is incorrect, it is an understandable mistake.

“HUNGER PANGS”

“Pangs” are brief piercing spasms of pain; when concerning our empty stomachs they are physical sensations of hunger related to contractions of the stomach muscles.