Clearing Ear Wax - Tips and Tricks

 The building up of the wax in the ear is the most common concern of every individual. However, many people don't realize the importance of little wax in the ear which protects ears from dirt, bugs and infections. 

  The most common method of clearing ear wax is using the cotton swabs. This method may remove little wax from the ear giving temporary relief, but it also tends to push the wax deep into the ear, causing the blockage which leads to pain, infection or loss of hearing in worst case.

There are more safer methods than the cotton swabs such as heat therapy or using an ear wax dissolver which is easily available in any drug store.

HEAT THERAPY:

       Heat therapy is mostly used to soften the ear wax so that its easier to dissolve and clear out the wax from the ears. The best way of clearing ear wax using this method is to fill a bottle, such as a hot water bottle, full of warm water. The patient should then lie down with the affected ear situated directly against the bottle. Within a few moments, the wax will begin to melt, making removal much safer and easier than trying to remove a hardened clump of wax.

Sometimes, despite the best efforts of the patient, clearing ear wax at home just is not possible. Most doctors are skilled and experienced at clearing ear wax, and the process generally does not take very long. Some doctors use a device that squirts a thin stream of water into the ear, dissolving the ear wax buildup. Others use an instrument that gently and safely scoops out the excess wax buildup without causing damage to the inner portion of the ear. Still another medical device used for clearing ear wax somewhat resembles a small vacuum that uses gentle suction to remove the excess wax.

Stiff Neck and Shoulders - Causes

        The pain caused by the Stiff neck and shoulders is very severe and unbearable sometimes. The main causes for this stiffness are poor posture, stress, a muscle sprain in that area or a severe headache. The stiffness might also be caused by the poor ergonomic conditions. In the worst case, these problems may be due to the underlying medical conditions called as Meningitis. Poor sleeping positions when the head and neck are improperly supported, may also cause shoulder and neck problems.

        When the weight of the head is not properly balanced, stress is placed on the neck and shoulders, which results in stiffness and pain. Stiffness caused by poor posture can be treated without medical intervention. Some people, however, may need to wear a back brace or specialized clothing to correct poor posture and relieve from the pain.

       Stress is the most common cause for stiffness to neck and shoulders. Many people have the tendency to unconsciously tighten their shoulder muscles when preoccupied with worry and anxiety. This results in stiffness of neck and shoulders. Prolonged Stiffness may lead to Chronic pain in that area.

       The stiffness caused by meningitis is a serious problem. Bacterial forms of this illness are treatable with prescribed antibiotics. Along with pain, the infected person may also experience nausea, a headache and vomiting.

       Headaches caused by tension, food allergies, a lack of quality rest and repetitive or prolonged work may also contribute to stiffness. A caffeine dependency or skipping meals may also cause a headache, which in turn contribute to Stiffness. The symptoms of this conditions can be relieved by proper rest and over the counter or herbal headache remedies.  

 

Why do we feel sleepy after heavy meals?

           In the human body, the mechanism is such that the oxygen we breathe in and the vital nutrients in the food that we eat are absorbed by the blood and supplied to the different organs, This job is accomplished efficiently by about 5 liters of blood that circulates in a normal adult.

           The amount of blood supplied to each organ depends on the oxygen and nutrition requirement of the tissues of the organ and the importance of the function it plays at any given time.

            Under normal conditions, the liver receives slightly less than one-third of the blood that the heart pumps. Likewise, the kidneys get about one-fourth, and brain about one-sixth. The remaining goes to the muscles and other parts of the body. These quantities change depending on the body work and needs.

            When we eat, the food needs to be digested and the nutrients absorbed by the blood. That is the focus of the work shifts to digesting the food and so more blood is sent to the stomach walls. Automatically, the flow of blood to other parts of the body, including the brain, is reduced.

             Only a few other very important functions like the functioning of the heart and lungs are continued. Once the blood flow to the brain is reduced, the body becomes lethargic and sleep sets in. So, better take a nap after meals, it is absolutely Normal!

What causes Hiccups?

           Two sudden and involuntary contractions within the diaphragm cause Hiccups. There is a diaphragm located between the chest and the stomach. While inhaling air the diaphragm presses down on the stomach and the lungs are filled with air. While exhaling the diaphragm presses on the lungs and we exhale air. The diaphragm works like a piston. But sometimes due to the formation of gas or increase of acidity in the stomach the diaphragm gets irritated and as a result contracts suddenly. In such a situation the air passing into the lungs experiences obstruction and makes a peculiar sound. This is nothing but a Hiccup. Hiccups can also be caused by eating too fast or too much. It can occasionally be a symptom of mineral disorders, pneumonia, pancreatitis, bladder irritation and stomach disorders.

            For mild Hiccup attacks, we need to hold breath for a tolerably long spell, drinking a glass of water while holding your breath and swallowing in rapid successions three times a glass of water duly holding your breath. If these methods do not work, hold a paper bag tightly over your nose and mouth, breath in and out for a minute or two. The relatively high level of carbon dioxide in blood shall inhibit Hiccups.

   

Motion Sickness - Vomiting while travelling

        Giddiness occurs when we lose our sense of balance. The sensations perceived by the eye, inner ear, skin,  muscles and joints help  the body to know its stability. Several unusual situations, such as travelling in a bus or looking down from a great height, overstimulate and confuse that part of the brain which controls balancing. This condition is called Motion Sickness.

        Researchers have discovered that motion sickness  is caused by the temporary disturbance in what is known as the Vestibular Membranous Labyrinth. This is the part of intricate series in the structure of inner ear, and helps to maintain the body's equilibrium. If the Labyrinth becomes overloaded with information from the eyes and other senses, it can trigger a sudden desire to vomit.

       The Motion sickness can sometimes be avoided by shifting the vision from objects at short range and those  far off. This is the reason why car drivers are not usually affected, while backseat passengers  often are. Those  in the front seat  have a panoramic, more stable and slower-moving scene. Passengers in the back seat see through the side windows, where the scenery flashes past and the brains labyrinth has more information to process.

How does Scratching stop Itching?

       Itching is the result of damage to cells in our skin. As a result of the damage, substances like Histamine (the amine that causes widening f blood vessels and plays a role in allergic phenomena) are set free and irritate the nerve fibers in the skin. These send signals, similar to pain signals, to the Central Nervous System (CNS).

       One can compare the nerve fibers to telephone lines and the central nervous system to a switchboard. The switchboard routes incoming telephone calls, and makes sure that only one line at a time is connected with each telephone number. By occupying the line you can prevent others from having a conversation with the same number. Likewise, the itch message can be blocked by occupying the central nervous system with another signal, for example, the one generated by Scratching, which is less irritating.

Hence scratching is the best remedy for Itching.

Posh people really do think they're better than others

According to new research, Posh people really do think they are better than others. People in higher social classes are "overconfident" about their abilities which means they come across as more competent - even when they don't know what they are talking about.

The study concludes that being able to confidently express what they think means they better at job interviews than working-class people who are socialized to embrace humility and authenticity. Social class shapes the attitudes that people hold about their abilities and that, in turn, has important implications for how class hierarchies perpetuate from one generation to the next. This overconfidence means people who are born into the upper echelons of society are likely to remain there.

 Researchers believe that this overconfidence might be due to the differences in values between middle and working-class people. They carried out four investigations into the connection between social class and overconfidence.

To measure social class, researchers looked at information about the applicants income, education level and perceived standing in society. They also had to complete a psychological assessment which involved using a flashcard game and a cognitive test. After completing the test, they were asked to guess how well they did on a scale of 1 to 100.

When psychologists compared the actual scores with the applicants' predictions, they found people with more education, income and perceived social class had an exaggerated belief that they would perform better. The results suggest that finding solutions to mitigate class inequalities may require a focus on subtle and seemingly harmless human tendencies.

                                                                                             Source: The Independent