Hiccups - Is it Normal or Serious Concerns

            Imagine you are having a dinner with your friends or family and suddenly someone starts to Hiccup. Even though in most cases it is normal to have hiccups but its very irritating spoiling the good atmosphere.

What are Hiccups and How it is Caused?

• Two sudden and involuntary contractions within the diaphragm causes Hiccups.
• Hiccups are just the reflex action of the body by which it protects itself. 
• If you eat too much food we get Hiccups
• If you eat food faster you get Hiccups
• If you eat food that is disagreeable to your system you get Hiccups
• Hiccups should last within 30 minutes
• If Hiccups lasts more than 30 minutes then its a matter of concerns like Pneumonia, Pancreatitis, Bladder Irritation and Stomach Disorders.

Hiccups Functionality:

• There is a diaphragm located between the chest and stomach
• While inhaling air, the diaphragm presses down on the stomach and the lungs are filled with air.
• While exhaling the diaphragms press on to the lungs and we exhale air.
• The diaphragm functions like a Piston.
• Due to the increase in acidity or formation of gas in the stomach the diaphragm gets irritated and as a result contracts suddenly.
• In such situation the air passing into the lungs experiences obstruction and makes peculiar sounds called Hiccup

Quick Remedy to stop Hiccups:

• During Hiccups, Hold the breath for tolerably longer spells.
• Drink a glass of water while holding your breath.
• Swallowing three times a glass of water holding your breath.
• Hold a paper bag tightly over your nose and mouth and breath in and out for a minute or two. The relatively higher levels of carbon dioxide in blood inhibit hiccups.

     

Yawning - A Contagious Process

          We often see people yawning when they are bored or lazy. Students often yawn when the lectures are boring or sometimes when people are tired they yawn to sleep. Have you ever wondered what this yawning is about and how it is contagious? Read below the details:

           A Yawning is a form of expression indicating boredom or a break in thought. Sometimes it is a way of relaxing or may occur in response to a person who is yawning too. Yawning should be a process of decreasing arousal. If observed by other person and the observer arousal level becomes synchronized as a consequence the observer will also yawn.

         Watching somebody taking a nap might also induce a state of declining arousal and trigger yawns. One would expect the observed yawns to be a more powerful stimulus, however, because another's yawns might precipitate the observer attending to muscular tension in the facial muscles that can be dissipated by the yawns stretch. In addition one might expect observed stretches in general to be contagious and yawns might thus be particularly obvious example of the general behavioral synchrony of interactants. 

Solar Eclipse - Do not view with Naked Eyes

      The Solar Eclipse is one of the best natural phenomenon on this Universe and is very pleasing to watch it on TV or media. 

      The scientists say its not fair to view the solar eclipse with naked eyes. Below are few points on it

• The sudden change in intensity of the light, viewing the sun during Eclipse may damage your eyes. The Human Eyes have a a very prominent protective mechanism to adjust automatically under various light conditions. During the Day when there is full illumination, the eyes close partially while at night when there is no illumination eyes open fully. This entire process doesn't happen in seconds but in few minutes.
• During total solar eclipse, there is complete darkness everywhere and eyes will be fully open to let in more light.
• During total eclipse the intensity of the sun is so high that it catches the eyes unaware. The intensity will be so high that it can damage the Retina of the eyes in seconds.

Hence, it is always desirable to watch the eclipses in caution either through prescribed lenses or telescopes.

  

Why Urine becomes Yellow after taking medications?

         Urine is one of the most important component in the body through which all the wastes drain out of the body. The Urine has various colors based upon the body conditions and other factors.

Why do Urine turn Yellow? Below are few updates on it.

        Yellowing of Urine is mainly due to the predominant rise in the unconjugated Bilirubin in the blood. This happens due to two reasons:

• Hemolytic Jaundice - Increased destruction of RBCs (Red Blood Cells).
• Obstructive Jaundice - Bile stone blockage of the Bile duct or any damage to the liver cells.

        Administration of certain drugs in the patients can also result in the rise in conjugated Bilirubin thereby causing yellowish Urine. Certain drugs can interfere with the Bilirubin Conjugation which is essential for its excretion through the Bile. This increase the conjugated Bilirubin levels in the blood. Even some common medicines like Paracetamol can be Hepatotoxic, which causes mild damage to liver cells thereby increasing Bilirubin levels in the blood. Acute Overdose of Paracetamol can cause Hepatic Necrosis.

    In the case of Tonics or Syrups yellowish of Urine is mainly due to the excretion of Vitamin B Complex. These Vitamins are Water Soluble and their absorption rate is Rapid. Yellow colorization is mainly due the presence of Riboflavin, which is a yellow green fluorescent compound.

Hence, be very cautious while using certain medications that can change colors of the Urine.