Do
you know these medical facts? Medical knowledge is constantly evolving, and new research is published regularly. However, there are also some lesser-known facts about the human body and healthcare that are often overlooked. Here are a few medical "cold facts" that you may find interesting:
1. The strongest muscle in the human body is the masseter, which is used for chewing.
2. More than 99% of the calcium in the human body is stored in the teeth and bones.
3. The human nose can detect at least one trillion different scents.
4. The human heart can continue beating even when separated from the body, due to its own electrical impulse.
5. It is possible to die from a broken heart, a condition called takotsubo cardiomyopathy or "broken-heart syndrome."
6. The flu vaccine is typically less effective in elderly individuals, since their immune systems tend to be weaker.
7. The appendix, once thought to be a useless leftover from evolution, is now believed to play a role in the immune system.
8. In rare cases, yawning can trigger a headache.
9. Approximately 80% of the population will suffer from back pain at some point in their lives.
10 It is possible for a person to be born without fingerprints. 1
1. Nerve impulses can travel at speeds of up to 268 miles per hour. 1
2. The human body produces about a quart of saliva each day. 1
3. Your stomach can "growl" due to hunger, but also due to muscular contractions that move food through your digestive system. 1
4. Lobsters and octopuses have blue blood, due to a copper-based molecule instead of iron-based hemoglobin. 1
5. The human body contains an average of 22 square feet of skin. These are just a few of the many interesting and lesser-known facts about the human body and healthcare. The more we learn about our bodies and how they function, the better equipped we are to take care of ourselves and others.