Goosebumps, also called the pilomotor reflex, are an involuntary response, meaning they happen without your thinking about it. Such diverse experiences as feeling chilled, being frightened, feeling strong emotions or hearing music can bring on the...
You know when you feel chilly, but you don't necessarily want to broadcast that information to everyone who sees you. Yet that is what happens when you get little bumps on the surface of your skin when you're cold. Those bumps -- called goose...
Serotonin is also known by its scientific name 5-hydoxytryptamine, and is a chemical produced by the pineal gland in your brain. It is essential for the healthy functioning of your brain and nervous systems. However, certain factors can cause the...
It will not hurt a healthy person to take a hot or a cold shower, but either one can increase your heart rate. Another factor that can add to this is worry about getting to work on time and the problems you have to deal with when you get there....
Water exercise is fun, works your heart and muscles and burns calories. However, if the water is too cold, it can ruin your workout. Cold water may also increase your after-workout calorie consumption. To avoid missing your workout, or exercising...
A person can turn to drugs for various reasons, such as enjoyment of the high a drug produces or to self-medicate a serious problem such as depression. As a person uses more and more of a drug, it becomes abuse which may lead to drug dependence....
Heat exhaustion is a serious medical concern for an infant. The condition results from the body overheating and is a precursor to heat stroke. It usually follows heat cramps in the muscles and is particularly threatening to infants, who are more...
Small hard bumps on your skin may occur if you have a condition known as keratosis pilaris. Keratosis pilaris is a harmless condition that does not get worse and may disappear with age. Karatosis pilaris bumps may look like "goose bumps". The...
If you have small, rough patches of bumpy skin that look like goose bumps, you may have a common inherited skin condition called keratosis pilaris. While the condition isn't harmful, it also isn't curable. However, prescription treatments and home...
A pore is a tiny funnel-shaped opening in the skin made of a fold in the epidermis that enters into the dermis. Human skin has millions of pores over the vast majority of the body, providing locations for hair growth, sweat and skin oil...
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports that 341,000 people were medically treated for heroin addiction in 2008. According to its maker, Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals (RBP), Suboxone is a drug prescribed for the medical...
Women are being so educated about watching for lumps and bumps on the breast that could be a sign of cancer or something abnormal, that many are just not sure what should or shouldn't be present on the breast. It is perfectly normal to have...
Two common concerns you may have when discovering small bumps on your skin: why did they appear, and are they warning signs of something serious? They can also become uncomfortable and lower your confidence. There are many possible causes, such as...
Hydrocodone is a narcotic-type medication commonly used in combination with acetaminophen for treatment of mild to moderate pain. Because it's an opiate medication, it may cause physical dependence with long-term use. When medication containing...
A variety of conditions, whether exposure to illness or a response to environmental factors can cause children to develop rashes. Some rashes are associated with other signs and symptoms that may need the immediate attention of the physician,...
Keratosis pilaris is a very common genetic follicular skin condition, thought to affect up to 50 percent of people to some extent. It is caused by the building up of keratin, a form of protein, in the hair follicles. Keratosis pilaris is most...
There are many different drugs, illicit and therapeutic, that can cause users to experience withdrawal symptoms after discontinuation. According to the text "Essential Psychopharmacology," the kind of symptoms experienced, as well as their...
Recurrent use of the opiate heroin can cause your body to become physically dependent upon the drug. Estimates are 9 percent of the U.S. population abuses opiate drugs, which can include certain prescription drugs, at some point in their lives,...
Serotonin is a neurotransmitter created in the brain that impacts multiple body functions. Cardiovascular, renal, immune and gastrointestinal processes are all influenced by serotonin production. In addition, any imbalance in serotonin affects the...
A drug addiction occurs when an individual becomes dependent on a drug to the extent that they feel it is impossible to manage without it. Conditioning the body to rely less on the addictive drug after consistent use is extremely difficult and can...
Heroin is an illegal drug of abuse that's synthesized from an extract of the opium poppy. It can be smoked, snorted or injected, and its use can lead to both psychological and physical addiction. The effects of heroin withdrawal may often begin...
Whether you're taking a swim class, lounging at the beach or training for a triathlon, when you submerge your body in cold water, it responds by going into survival mode to prevent hypothermia. One inconvenient symptom of cold water immersion is...
It's not unusual to find white bumps on your skin from time to time. The epidermis, or top layer of your skin, is thin and sensitive to the effects of dryness, inflammation or irritation. Although skin bumps are usually harmless, it is a good idea...
Smooth, clear skin is the ideal, but it isn't always possible. Bumps on your skin can be itchy, due to multiple causes, such as insect bites and allergic reactions. The cause of itchy bumps is often easy to discover and can be easily treated. When...
Epilepsy is a type of brain disorder characterized by sporadic episodes of abnormal signaling within the brain. When this occurs, patients can experience involuntary muscle contractions and movements referred to as seizures. The National Institute...
Smooth muscles of the human body are activated by your autonomic nervous system, or the part of your nervous system creating involuntary movement within your body. You cannot consciously control these muscles. These muscles contract to perform...
Serotonin, also called 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), is a neurotransmitter, a chemical required for the healthy functioning of your brain cells, nerves and gastrointestinal tract. Serotonin is synthesized in the brain and regulates sleep, body...
Yale University's substance abuse treatment unit states that opiates are pain-relieving drugs that include methadone, heroin, codeine, morphine and opium. Opioid dependence is mediated in part by the pharmacological actions of opiate drugs on a...
Methadone is a prescription opiate analgesic medication indicated to relieve pain and limit withdrawal symptoms in patients recovering from a heroin addiction. This medication can be administered orally (tablet, dispersible tablet or liquid) or by...
