Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Why Do We Snore?

The cause of snoring is almost always due to a weak, loose tissue that is situated at the back of the throat. This tissue collapses into the a passage called the pharyngeal (near the pharynx) during sleep. Thus the airway gets restricted and when the tissue vibrates in the constricted airway an aggravating noise that is snoring is caused. Some people snore loudly mainly because of the structure of the airways, the mouth and the jaw. Another reason is the consumption of alcohol.
Snoring can be  a symptom of some other complication and is thought to be linked to high BP and other problems of the heart.

Monday, April 11, 2011

Why Don't We Sneeze When We Are Asleep?

Sneezing, is as stated in the previous post, is a reflex action in response to stimulus in the nasal passage to the brain.  During sleep, most of the activity of the brain declines we are less responsive to external stimuli and the reflex action is not initiated. As such sneezing does not take place during sleep. But if the stimulus is very intense, it can waken the brain and sneezing will occur and you will wake up.

Why Do We Sneeze?

Sneezing is a procedure by which foreign particles, harmful bacteria, viruses etc. that have accumulated in your nasal passage due to a cold or allergic reactions or the blowing of dust in your face are expelled and is a reflex action - an action that is done automatically over which you do not have any control. When there are foreign material in your nose a chemical called histamine is produced which sends signals to the brain that there are material that should not be there. The brain now sends out a message to the lungs to squeeze them and also shuts down the pharynx to prevent air from being squeezed through the mouth. The nose expels these foreign material with a blast of air that may at times reach speeds of some 950 km/hr.

What Is Cramp And Does Massage Help?

Cramp is an involuntary, sudden and painful contraction of a muscle due to localized muscle spasm generally affecting the hands and legs. There are a variety of reasons for the occurrence of a cramp such as mineral deficiency, severe cold, lack of sufficient flow of blood and the accumulation of certain chemicals in that area.
Massage and external compression of the muscle involved can relieve cramp but all cramps cannot be so relieved.