Your respiratory system controls your breathing and begins when you draw in air through your nose or mouth. The air travels through your windpipe into both of your lungs, where small air sacs capture oxygen and distribute it in your bloodstream...
The process of breathing allows oxygen to enter the bloodstream to fuel most every tissue, system and structure in the human body. Muscles are tissue that benefit from this oxygen. Because the body doesn't have the ability to store oxygen, the...
Respiration is an automatic bodily function. We breathe whether we are aware of it or not. Our respiration rates, or the amount that we breathe, vary based on the environmental, physical and psychological conditions that we are experiencing. For...
Spinal anesthesia involves the direct application of local anesthetic drugs to nerve roots that enter and exit the spinal cord. According to the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, spinal anesthesia is preferred over general...
Hyperkalemia is a condition in which an excessive level of potassium is present in the blood. A high potassium level is often found in patients with compromised kidneys. It can also occur due to medication, injury, uncontrolled diabetes, burns or...
The human brain can be anatomically divided into three main sections, or layers. The outermost part is called the forebrain (the prosencephalon); the middle layer is called the midbrain (the messancephalon); and the innermost part of the brain is...
Muscle twitches, also known as fasciculations, occur commonly in healthy people. Often these twitches have no known cause. Sometimes caffeine or stress can make them worse, as MedlinePlus explains. Twitches can come and go, and usually don't last...
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...
Asthma is a chronic, episodic illness that occurs when the passageways of the lungs spasm and constrict, causing coughing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, wheezing and difficulty breathing as listed by The Canadian Lung Association. The most...
The brain is considered to be the most complex organ and system of the human body. It averages, according to Neurosurgery Today, 2.7 pounds for women and 3 pounds for men. The brain is the seat of all interpretive sensory experience, thought and...
Multiple diseases and medical treatments can cause hypercapnia or high CO2 levels. High blood carbon dioxide levels affect every aspect of the body, including renal function and the central nervous system and cardiovascular system, which make...
It is obvious to every child on the playground and every marathon runner that exercise makes you breathe hard. And the harder you work, the more you breathe. But your body requires no conscious effort to match your lung ventilation with exercise....
When it comes to energy, carbohydrates are often said to be the most important fuel to power your body. But carbohydrates are not necessarily the chief source of energy for your body at any given time. Fat, protein and carbohydrates are all used...
Respiration rate is a vital sign determined by counting the number of times the chest rises in one minute. Adult respiration rates are between 15 to 20 breaths per minute at rest. Exercise increases the oxygen demands of the body resulting in an...
Your body doesn't just burn calories when you are physically active. It burns calories for basic physiological processes such as digestion, heart rate and blood circulation, hormonal activity, cellular metabolism, body temperature control and...
As your body responds to stress--be it exercise, fear, excitement or other factors--it begins a chain reaction that helps you physiologically cope with the situation at hand. You will notice that as your heart rate rises, your respiration rate...
Lung cancer can cause several types of paraneoplastic syndromes, symptoms that can affect areas of the body distant from the tumor and that are not caused by the direct presence of either the tumor or metastases. Paraneoplastic syndromes can be...
The brain controls respiration without conscious effort, and the breath works as an automatic response in the body. Yet the breath immediately responds to your emotions. Stressors like the fear, anxiety, anger or worry directly affect the way you...
Respiratory alkalosis is the development of high pH, or basic, blood, as the result of breathing-related causes. Unlike metabolic alkalosis, respiratory alkalosis doesn't result from kidney problems or medications---unless those medications affect...
Calcium is crucial for the normal functioning of all the cells in the body. Its level in the blood is maintained within a very narrow range, through the combined effect of parathyroid hormone, vitamin D and the kidneys. Hypocalcemia, or low blood...
Just three pounds of neurons and connective tissue enable you to speak, breathe, dream, think, and, basically, to be yourself. The brain is an incredible organ that begins to form within weeks of conception. Although there are many specific parts...
The rate and depth of human respiration is controlled by many different factors. Some are under conscious control; others aren't. In fact, respiration is unique among organ system functions in that while it’s generally under the control...
Drinking excessive amounts of alcohol leads to alcohol poisoning. Rapidly consuming five drinks or more in a row is defined as binge drinking and the main reason for alcohol poisoning, according to the Mayo Clinic. Alcohol poisoning symptoms...
The spinal cord is one of the integral parts of the nervous system. A tumor in the spinal cord can either be malignant or benign. If the tumor is malignant, it is known as spinal cancer, which has the ability to metastasize or to spread throughout...
Each part of the human brain is responsible for functions in the body. The brain is made up of three major sections: the cerebrum, the cerebellum and the brain stem. The cerebrum is divided into two parts, the left hemisphere and the right...
Most people notice that their breathing changes as they exercise. Whether you are breathing deeper, breathing longer, or are out of breath, your body is using your lungs to supply necessary oxygen to your muscles. And while your body is capable of...
Whether you are a seasoned runner or someone just starting out in the game, you may have experienced what is commonly known as a stitch in your side. A stitch is a muscle cramp that occurs on one side of the body. A strong side ache can be enough...
Hyperventilation is defined as rapid breathing. The normal breathing rate is 14 to 18 breaths per minute. Carbon dioxide is the gas that normally regulates the rate of breathing. A rapid rate of breathing can occur normally after exercise. In...
Vitamin B12 is an essential nutrient the body gets from food. It helps to boost metabolism for energy and burn stored fat and calories, and also is involved in the production of red blood cells that carry oxygen to every cell in the body. In...