Why » Symptoms

Why is laughing good?

Hari — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 20:28:41 +0000

Humor is contagious. The sound of roaring laughter is considered as still more contagious than the sneeze and cough. The laughter that is shared by two people will make them stay together and be happier in intimate always. Laughter is part of amusement and joy. It triggers physical changes which are healthy in our body. Laughter will make the immune system strong; it enhances the energy, reduces pain, and prevents the person from experiencing stress. Scientifically, it is said that laughing triggers the feeling of optimism due to the secretion of substances called endorphins. Laughing also is found to be enhancing the immune system by elevating the T-cell levels. The T-cells are called helper cells in the body which aid in fighting against the presence of free radicals in the body.

There is a proverb which means that laughter functions just like medicine in curing minor ailments. The other benefits of laughter are that it lowers the blood pressure, aids in food digestion, enhances the breathing, reduces stress, decreases depression, makes your shoulders relax, increases endorphin levels, and, on the whole, gives a good feeling. Laughter seems to have healing powers.

The movement of lymph fluid in the body is very important for carrying out the immune functions in the body. There is no pump that is meant for the movement of lymph in the body. The circulation is triggered by the movements of the body. The convulsions that are experienced at the time of laughing are known to move the lymph fluid. So laughter supports boosting the immune system by triggering the flow of lymph. This helps in sending out the toxic wastes from the body.

The intake of oxygen is also found to be higher when the person laughs than at normal times. More oxygen is taken in for the organs as well as at the tissue levels in larger amounts. Oxygen purifies the cells and sends away the waste as carbon dioxide to sustain the life of humans on Earth. Oxygen also damages the cancer cells. Hence, laughing is good for the health.

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Why do rashes itch?

Hari — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 12:02:15 +0000

At some point in people’s lives, many will experience some itching and redness on the skin. Some people will also have other symptoms like flaking of the skin. All these are classic signs of skin rashes, and this particular skin condition may be mild but may be annoying enough to some people because of the itching involved.

Rashes may be due to some infection on the skin which results in the inflammatory changes taking place on the surface and beneath. This is the main reason why people experience skin itching when they have rashes in different parts of the body. But the itching for some may be negligible while for others it may be so severe that they need medical attention. This is due to the fact that skin rashes may be of different types and may be due to a variety of causes. As for adults, the skin rash may be the type called seborrheic dermatitis which typically presents with a scaling of the skin and redness. This adult rash normally occurs in areas like the forehead, ears, and cheeks among other areas of the head and face. For children, some may be affected by a condition called eczema or atopic dermatitis which also presents itself with redness and itching at the neck and joints. Babies typically have diaper rash which is a type of contact dermatitis. The infection occurs because of prolonged contact with the urine and/or feces on the skin. In any type of rash mentioned above, the skin may be attacked by germs causing the classic infection symptoms such as itching.

In milder cases of skin rash, the itching may be barely noticeable with the skin healing over time. In some cases, some people may benefit from putting on anti-itching creams to soothe the feeling of wanting to scratch the skin all the time. But for persistent itching of rashes, particularly those that involve bleeding and/or open wounds, medical advice should be sought for proper treatment and management.

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Why do breastfed babies spit up less?

Hari — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:26:18 +0000

Breast feeding Baby

All babies spit up often, and there is nothing to be surprised about this fact. Babies will spit up for various reasons. If the baby feeds on milk excessively, it might be expelled by the baby in the form of vomiting. Some babies will swallow more air and tend to spit up more than other babies. The maximum age of the babies that spit up is four months. When the baby takes in air along with the milk, the air will get trapped inside the stomach along with the milk. The trapped air has to come out, and frequently the air along with that milk will also come up through the nose or mouth.

Babies need to consume enough food depending on their sizes. Sometimes they eat too much until they become overfilled. Whether they are bottle fed or breast fed, they spit up after they are fed excessively. For the babies which are fed well and which gain weight normally having a normal stool and urine output, spitting up is not due to any serious medical problem.

The spitting up might be because of gagging when the milk is pushed out forcefully and very quickly. Spitting up happens probably due to immature muscle control, disease, allergy, and an oversupply of milk. Sometimes the reason for spitting up cannot be established exactly. Most of the babies will stop spitting up by the time they reach six months. The spitting up can be accompanied by gastroesophageal reflux occasionally in some babies. This reflux might happen when the muscle that helps the contents of the stomach remain in the stomach instead of flowing back into the esophagus will function at wrong time. This makes the gastric juices in those contents to cause irritation to the throat and esophagus. The stomach of babies will be small, and those who drink milk heavily have this problem of milk coming back into the esophagus. But as the babies mature, this problem disappears. Reflux is seen occurring less often in breastfed babies than in bottle-fed ones.

There is another condition that is exhibited by mostly male infants called pyloric stenosis. This is exhibited by them about four to six weeks after birth, and they perform projectile vomiting. This causes them not to put on weight much, and they can vomit up to a few feet away. If they do it very occasionally, then it is not so serious. If it occurs very often like once a day, then the baby has to be taken to the doctor.

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Why do Europeans smoke?

Hari — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 13:12:58 +0000

The Europeans are found to smoke more than the Americans smoke. This is confirmed by looking at the statistics taken on the smokers in the United States by the U.S. National Survey of Drug Use and Health in 1994. The data in Europe was taken from the files available at the World Health Organization and the Eurobarometer Survey carried out in 1994. The reason for the Europeans to smoke was explained to have come from the factors such as income, prices, and beliefs. The data that is generated includes the statistics associated with education, income, and beliefs in smoking, price, and the national survey on cigarette smoking. Europeans are found to casually smoke when they are conversing with their friends very often. Socializing in the evening times is a part of the European culture and, hence, the cultural practice has smoking embedded in it.

Smoking is carried out by people who are earning more. It is a general opinion that cigarette smoking is dangerous and it reduces the lifespan of the smokers. People having this opinion will smoke less or may not smoke at all. According to the statistics, about 91 per cent of the people in European countries, such as Finland and Norway, believe that smoking causes cancer and it is dangerous. But in countries like Germany, people are the least concerned about the association of the health risks with smoking. It was statistically estimated that about 73 per cent of people feel that smoking causes cancer.

Smoking has become a burden for the state social welfare systems as the diseases related to smoking cost more than $100 billion per year. In Austria, one member out of every two teenagers and two adults are found to be smoking. The love for cigarettes by the Europeans is considered to be dating back since the 19th century. The Europeans do not have legal and cultural pressures against smoking compared to the United States. Hence, Europeans smoke more often.

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Why do fetuses kick?

Hari — Sun, 04 Mar 2012 07:47:01 +0000

The kicking of the fetus is felt by the mother at the time of 16th week to the 22nd week of pregnancy onwards. The slight movement of the fetus is felt even from seventh week or eighth week itself. The mother who has already experienced the baby’s kicks in her first pregnancy might be able to distinguish the baby’s kicks from other belly movements due to hunger pangs, other internal movements, and gas. The women who are thin are found to have more chances to identify the movements in the early stages than the women who are heavier.

Babies grow inside the womb as the pregnancy advances. The movement takes place as the baby develops. It allows itself to be flexible and stretch as it starts growing. The movements of the baby might occur when it hears any sound, when the mother is experiencing any emotions, when the position of mother changes, and when the mother consumes various food items. The first and primary fetal movement noticed by the pregnant woman is called “quickening.” Experiencing flutters is nothing but quickening and is observed from the 13th week to the 25th week. The movement happens very noticeably during the 24th and 28th weeks as kicks so the baby will have enough space to move inside. The growth of the baby leads to its movements very often as it adjusts itself inside the womb. This indicates that the baby is developing properly with desired care and safety measures.

The muscle functioning of the baby is checked inside the womb as the muscle functioning has to happen properly after some time. The baby is found to be practicing its yawning, breathing, crying, sucking, and blinking before it is delivered outside the body. In the starting stages of pregnancy, the baby’s brain generates electrical impulses which will stimulate the twitches in its body. When the brain has developed completely, it will control the functions of the baby’s body, and the baby begins to move its body voluntarily. These are experienced as kicks.

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Why do feet sweat?

Hari — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 07:42:39 +0000

The feet smell due to the formation of sweat. One foot can produce around one pint of sweat per day. The sweat consists of water and salt. The sweat does not have any distinct smell that is unique for it. The smell for the sweat is developed by the bacteria that are present on the skin which feed on the sweat. The waste that is excreted by the bacteria on the skin after feeding on the sweat gives off a strong smell. The presence of bacteria on the skin will not generate any smell. When bacteria eat the sweat, it generates a smell that is noticeable. The sweat will attract the bacteria and allow them to eat the sweat.

Sweating is normal all over the body, but there are certain places where sweating is more. The hands will sweat more as the hands consist of greater number of sweat glands. Most of the regions of the body that sweat do not stink except for in the case of the feet and armpits especially. The feet sweat probably due to the people wearing shoes and socks. The sweat that is excreted by the hands will get evaporated easily into the air while the sweat that gets collected on the feet and in the socks cannot escape. The bacteria appear to like the dark and wet feet and love to feed on the sweat that is collected there. When the shoes are taken off, the bad smell that is observed is all from the excretion of the bacteria. Due to the difference in physiological characteristics of people, some people sweat more profusely in their feet region than others. So they generate much more odor. The condition of excessive sweating of the feet is called “plantar hyperhidrosis.” This condition varies from one person to another based on the physiological conditions of the body.

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Why do toenails fall off?

erwin — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 18:23:33 +0000

Some people experience a condition called “onychoptosis” which literally means “the toenails are falling off.” This condition usually happens gradually with the inflammatory changes that happen on one’s toe/s.

Fungus or fungal infections are said to be the most common causes for toenails that fall off. It is also said that as much as 18 per cent of the people around the world acquire a fungal infection on their toes which results in the nails falling off. Fungus in this condition may be of different strains and varieties, but they all basically act the same. They target and attack the thick keratin found on people’s toenails. It’s like the fungus will start to eat out the toenail and turn it into a yellowish or brownish color at first. This particular discoloration is a typical early sign of fungal infection, so one must seek medical advice to save his/her toenail from falling off or at least prevent the infection from spreading. After the discoloration, the toenails will eventually become thicker, and then they will start flaking until a large portion of them will fall off. Fungi is said to thrive on dark and wet conditions, and so those who frequently have sweaty feet and closed or tight shoes must be sure to wash their feet often to prevent this type of infection.

Toenails can also fall of due to injury. In the case of people engaged in sports that involve heavy foot activity, toenails may get constant friction with the shoes. With trauma to the toenails, bleeding can occur underneath the nails which affect the nails’ overall health. With repeated trauma, nails can eventually fall off also. To prevent this from happening, one may need to find the perfect shoe that’s roomy enough in the toes area. Otherwise, one must regularly check his/her toes for signs of injury, infection, or inflammation.

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Why do shots hurt afterwards?

erwin — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 18:21:36 +0000

Shots or injections are typically administered to the arm or other parts of the body, and many people complain about pain after receiving them. These shots are typically vaccines or medicines to combat certain medical conditions and illnesses like: flu, tetanus, measles, and typhoid fever, among others.

The injection itself is actually painful for some. Some shots are called “subcutaneous” shots because they are administered somewhere under the skin layer only. When the skin gets injected, people will automatically experience some pain with a severity that depends on one’s pain threshold. Some find pain during injection negligible while others dread just the thought of the needle piercing through one’s own skin. Other injections are administered more deeply into the muscles, and these shots are called “intramuscular” because they penetrate the muscles. A longer needle is needed for this type of shot, and people will also experience pain while the needle is inserted.

But what people most complain about is the pain that may come after the shot itself. Some people experience soreness in the skin or the muscle area at the injection site. The pain after the shot may be for a variety of reasons. On the skin’s surface, there are already various nerve endings that can trigger the sensation of pain, and so when these are activated by the needle, then pain will be felt. Pain after the injection can also be due to the drug that is injected. Some drugs may cause sensitivities in the injection area to increase, and people might experience pain and/or soreness. There are also shots that may cause irritation to the blood vessels in the injection area, and people may experience pain after the vaccine’s administration, for example. Overall, the pain felt by people is just the body’s natural way of reacting to instances like the injection of medicines.

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Why do fit people sweat more?

erwin — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 18:03:45 +0000

Not many people know that the fitter you become, the more sweat you produce. It is not just because those who exercise often spend more time in the gym and so they sweat more. On an ordinary day, when a healthy and fit person is compared with a not-so-fit and sedentary individual, the production of sweat is actually greater with the fit person. And this is actually a good thing for the body.

The basic explanation for more sweat production in healthier and fit people compared to slackers and loungers is that the body’s sweat mechanism is enhanced and improved while people exercise their bodies. The body produces sweat all throughout the day to cool itself. The production of sweat is even more increased during exercise. It’s just like a cycle; the more people work out and do lots of things, the increased sweat will be produced to cool the entire body. During exercise, the muscles heat up so there will be an increase in overall body temperature. When this happens, the body will produce sweat in order to counter internal heat and keep the body in a balanced state. Repeated exercise sessions and routines will allow the body’s sweat mechanism to be improved. This simply means that the body will be able to produce sweat and cool itself more efficiently when it is regularly exercised.

For a fit person, what happens is that the whole body will become in a constant, temperature-checking mode. Once it detects some heat internally and externally, it will readily activate the sweat mechanism and produce sweat for a somewhat instant, cooling effect. This will then make fitter bodies produce more sweat overall for a normal given day as compared to individuals who are not exposed to exercising regularly.

Some fit people may also be not aware of this fact and so there are those who check with their doctors regarding their health. Many people think that the sweating is due to some body ailment, for example, but it actually is just the body’s more efficient way of cooling off.

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Why do minors drink?

erwin — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:01:02 +0000

Drinking by minors and underage people is an ongoing problem in society. In many countries in the world, kids are exposed early to this vice, and not many of them get out of this dilemma happy and healthy. Minor people drink for many reasons, but studies have shown that many of these underage children have similar backgrounds and stories from which they indulge in this kind of activity.

Many minors perceive alcohol as something that can give them confidence and power. And true enough, alcoholic drinks are actually like drugs that have mind-altering effects. Those who drink often typically experience an emotional high, and this gives a certain level of happiness and confidence to the person involved. When a person is happy doing something, like drinking, this particular person is then more likely to do it repeatedly.

Some minors also drink because of peer pressure. Many minors would admit that some of their friends got them into drinking with a couple of them forced into the situation. If one wants to be part of a group or be perceived as cool, for example, he/she may be forced to do the activities of his/her friends like drinking. Some kids are also influenced with their environment at home. It is said that minors are predisposed to drinking when a family member is also into drinking.

There are also kids who drink because they want to feel and look like adults. They mimic what older people do, and they often think that it is a good idea to drink under certain conditions. In the case of a kid having a problem in school, he/she may start to drink alcohol because it is “what older people do.” Others are also exposed to drinking because the adults around them let them do whatever they want unrestricted. Many of these kids fail to get the guidance that they need from sober adults so they continue doing the activity despite knowing the bad effects of the habit.

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