Imagine dining at a popular fast-food restaurant when you notice a child in the play area that appears to be choking. You move quickly to him, but just as you arrive, he collapses in your arms, seemingly lifeless and not breathing. Being able to...
A correct acid-base balance is essential for many metabolic processes, and thus the pH balance in your body is strictly regulated. A major determinant of your body's pH balance is the carbon dioxide concentration. CO2 is a byproduct of cellular...
For members of a band's brass or woodwinds section, air production is a crucial component to creating sufficient sound. As such, breathing exercises can be pivotal in improving individual and group sound within any band. Not only do these...
Anxiety attacks can occur anywhere, anytime. You may feel like you cannot get enough oxygen, find your breathing rate increasing, and feel tingly in your hands and feet. In the absence of any underlying medical condition, you may be suffering an...
The diaphragm, which is a sheet-like, dome-shaped muscle, is located beneath the heart and lungs and above the abdomen. With inhalation, the diaphragm contracts and moves downward, increasing space in the chest for the lungs to expand. Exhalation...
Hiccups in newborn babies are fairly common. In fact, they often begin before the baby is even born, and pregnant women can sometimes feel these fetal hiccups. After birth, babies who frequently hiccupped in utero often hiccup outside the womb as...
When an individual is no longer able to maintain a respiratory rate and effort that will support adequate oxygenation, he will require breathing assistance. One way to provide assisted breathing is with the use of a bag-mask device, also known as...
Panic attacks are a type of anxiety disorder that causes the sufferer to endure periodic bouts of symptoms ranging from frightening thoughts, rapid heart beat, shortness of breath, extreme agitation and feelings of helplessness and a loss of...
Hiccups are more annoying than they are serious. Persistent hiccups should be evaluated by a medical professional, but, in most cases, a few, simple habit changes can prevent hiccups. The Mayo Clinic explains that hiccups can be caused by things...
The diaphragm is a large, dome-shaped muscle below the lungs and is the most efficient muscle for breathing, according to the Cleveland Clinic. Diaphragmatic breathing contrasts with chest breathing, which tends to be more shallow. Diaphragmatic...
Hiccups-amusing when other people have them but annoying when you get them-are a common enough affliction that most people have a favorite way to cure them. But for some people, persistent hiccups lasting more than 48 hours or intractable hiccups...
In a medical emergency, rescue workers can help a patient breathe using a squeezable bag with a face mask called the Ambu bag. Before its invention, rescue breathing attempts were often futile. Those efforts, including mouth-to-mouth...
Respiratory alkalosis is a condition in which carbon dioxide is expelled from the body faster than produced due to excessive respiration. This causes an increase in blood pH, making it more alkaline and exciting the nervous system. If extreme,...
Anise (Pimpinella anisum) is an aromatic seed that is often distilled into a sweetly scented essential oil. Sometimes listed as aniseed essential oil, this is the plant that American black licorice candy is flavored with. The scent is sweet and...
Respiratory alkalosis occurs when the blood becomes less acidic. One process the body uses to regulate the acidity and alkalinity of blood is respiration. When carbon dioxide is dissolved in the blood, it becomes carbonic acid, which makes the...
Hiccups come up suddenly and usually last for a few minutes. There doesn't seem to be a reason for hiccups for many people. Sometimes hiccups can result from hot and spicy foods or liquids, noxious fumes, diseases that irritate the nerves...
Your body needs to maintain a pH level between 7.35 to 7.45 in order remain properly balanced, the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library says. Acidosis occurs when your pH level drops below 7.35. This condition causes the fluids in your body to be...
Hiccups are often caused by damage to or irritation of the phrenic and vagus nerves that control the diaphragm. The diaphragm then spasms involuntarily, causing the hiccups. Some of the possible causes of hiccups include eating too quickly,...
The brain is the primary controller of respiratory rate. It receives input from sensors that detect oxygen and carbon dioxide levels in the blood. Blood pH also influences respiratory rate. Activity level and the presence of drugs or alcohol are...
Hiccuping after swimming presents an annoyance, but rarely a health problem. Hiccups result from a spasm of the diaphragm, which is the muscle that separates your chest from your stomach and plays a crucial role in respiration. When a spasm of the...
Shortness of breath is often experienced as wheezing, rapid breathing, or apnea---periods of cessation of breathing, as is the case with sleep apnea. Generally, shortness of breath is anticipated with strenuous exertion or exercise. However,...
Hiccups appear suddenly as an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm, resulting in convulsive gasps and "hic" sounds. The minor inconvenience usually lasts for a matter of minutes, though hiccups can also go on for hours. Medical attention...
Perhaps one of the most common natural bodily functions that a person can experience, hiccups have been known to also be quite the annoyance. Many different home remedies and urban legends exist regarding possible cures for hiccups, which are...
Hiccups, an involuntary contraction of the diaphragm, cause the vocal cords to produce the "hic" sound as they close. In the medical field, hiccups are known as singultus. If hiccups last longer than 48 hours, seek medical attention. The doctor...
Hyperventilation is a state of uncontrolled, rapid breathing. The fast-paced breathing expels more carbon dioxide from your body than usual, causing your blood's carbon dioxide level to drop and its pH to rise. As a result, the arteries constrict,...
Anxiety disorder is a condition where the body senses immediate danger or harm---even if there is no clear sign that there is present danger. Anxiety attacks are generally caused by a chemical imbalance in the brain where the body is forced into...
Boxers use the punching bag to work on their hand speed, instincts and endurance. It is a dynamic tool that gives fighters a great cardio workout. The punching bag is one of the most traditional tools used in boxing, and many outside the sport use...
The mechanisms that control respiration are part of an intricately woven system. The two main gases involved in respiration are oxygen and carbon dioxide. In healthy people, respiration is primarily controlled by the level of carbon dioxide...
Kickboxing can be great exercise and improve cardio fitness. Learn the skills of kickboxing in this video on competitive kickboxing moves.
Panic attacks may be fairly common when under stress. Learn how to treat and prevent panic attacks from a therapist in this video.