No more mysteries behind the daily activities of the body | by BETSY TAMPKE

Hiccup
What is a hiccup? A quick retraction of the diaphragm. It causes air to rush into the lungs (the hic), and the flap at the top of the windpipe clamps down and closes off air flow quickly (the cup), causing the entire body to jerk.
Why do humans get hiccups? Often triggered from irritation of the stomach. This can occur because of too much food intake, carbonated drinks, swallowed air, or sometimes no reason at all. However extreme causes of hiccups include skull fractures, epilepsy, tuberculosis, and constipation.
What is their function? There is no medical function for hiccups.
Best cures for the hiccups? Cures center around disturbing the hiccup cycle, this can be done by holding one’s breath, breathing into a bag, pulling the tongue, sudden fright, drinking water or eating sugar.

Sleeping Body Parts
What does it mean for a body part to fall asleep? When the feeling in a body part is partially lost causing the body part to feel ‘numb’ or ‘tingly’.
Why do body parts fall asleep? Pressure on a body part pinches nerve pathways disrupting communication from that body part to the brain; this makes it difficult for the brain to direct the body part’s functions and transmit impulses.
What is the function of body parts falling asleep? Although body parts falling asleep itself does nothing beneficial for the body, the sensation of a limb ‘falling asleep’ warns the body to shift position or remove pressure. If a body part remains asleep for too long the tissues and cells in the specific body part will eventually die and the body part will need to be amputated

Goosebumps
What are goosebumps? Tightened follicles that cause small ‘bumps’ on the skin and hair to stand up.
Why do we get them? When experiencing cold temperatures, fear, or strong emotions (like anger or excitement) the body subconsciously releases adrenaline. Adrenaline causes the skin to contract and the hair to stand on end.
What is their function? For animals, goosebumps cause their fur to stand on end, creating a heat insulator when they are cold and making them appear bigger when they are afraid. Humans get goosebumps for the same reason as animals but because our body hair is not as thick it does not provide much heat, nor does it make us appear much larger.
Where does the name come from? The ‘bumps’ on human skin were thought to resemble the skin of plucked poultry, resulting in the name ‘goosebumps.’

Sneezing
What is a sneeze? A spasm of chest and pharynx. Nerve endings in the lining of the nose become irritated so impulses are sent to medulla oblongata (the part of the brain that controls involuntary actions). Then the brain sends messages to the chest muscles to squeeze the lungs and to the pharynx to shut so air cannot be squeezed out of the lungs into the mouth. With no where else to go, the air escapes through the nose as a sneeze.
Why do humans sneeze? The nerve endings in the lining of the nose become irritated by bacteria in the nasal cavity (colds), dust and allergic reactions.
What is its function? The nose acts as an air purifier, we sneeze to cleanse the body of harmful substances.
Fun fact: A sneeze can leave the body at 100 mph.

Farting
What is a fart? The passing of intestinal gas from the anus.
Why do humans fart? Gas builds up in the intestines and needs to be expelled from the body through the anus. The sound is created by anal vibrations and the smell is created by the sulfur content of the fart.
What is its function? Farting removes potentially harmful gasses from the body. These gasses are created by swallowed air, the body’s blood, chemical reactions, and bacteria living inside intestines. Holding in a fart can cause dizziness and headaches. If a human held in a fart for too long  the colon would become bloated and the intestinal gasses would add so many toxins to the blood that it would poison the blood stream and eventually be fatal.
Does everyone fart? Yes, the average human farts 14 times a day, and some humans fart shortly after death.