Body Language: Find Out What the Creaks and Groans Mean
By: Sandra Gordon
| There are some common complaints many of us suffer from—find out which things you can ignore and which you should explore with your doctor. | ||
| Snoring What's Normal: As annoying as it may be to your bedmate, snoring isn't a problem—even if you sound like a locomotive. The racket starts when your throat muscles relax and excess tissue in the back of your mouth collapses, partially blocking the upper airway. This forces you to inhale more deeply and makes the tissue vibrate. Sleeping on your side can help by shifting the tissue. What's Not: Your bedmate says you're gasping and snoring, a condition that causes the oxygen level in your blood to drop. If you do this 10 or more times in an hour, or if you feel tired no matter how much sleep you get, you may have obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder that can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease, says Dr. Suman Golla, MD, an assistant professor in the department of otolaryngology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. See your doctor, who will order a sleep study (a test in which your rest is electronically monitored) or refer you to a specialist. | ||
| Hiccups What's Normal: Doing so for four hours or less. Hiccups are often triggered when you drink soda or alcohol, or when sudden excitement or stress causes a quick intake of air that makes the top of your esophagus close down. Try gargling with ice water, breathing into a bag, or biting on a lemon. "Those old wives' tales have been cited in the medical literature as being effective for some people," says Dr. Patricia Raymond, MD, a board-certified gastroenterologist in Chesapeake, Virginia. What's Not: If hiccups last longer than four hours, you could have a tumor or an abscess near your heart or esophagus. Your doctor may order a CT scan of your chest. If everything looks fine but the hiccups continue, medication, such as Thorazine, can calm the nerves responsible. | ||
| Ringing in the Ears What's Normal: If it lasts for a week or less and doesn't really bother you, there's probably nothing to worry about. One of the most common culprits is your blasting iPod. If you turn the volume down by 40 percent or more and limit your listening to an hour a day, the ringing (known as tinnitus) should stop. Drinking lots of caffeine or taking more than four aspirin in 24 hours can also trigger the ringing by reducing blood flow to the inner ear, says Dr. Jennifer Derebery, MD, an otolaryngologist at the House Ear Clinic and Institute in Los Angeles. Cut back on both. What's Not: Ringing that persists beyond a week. Also ringing that pulsates, distracts, occurs in one ear only, or is accompanied by sudden hearing loss. You may have an infection or impaired circulation to the inner ear, which can be caused by heart or thyroid disease, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure, says Dr. Derebery. See your doctor for an ear exam. | ||
| Growling Stomach What's Normal: Low-pitched stomach rumbles, "like bears growling in a cave," says Dr. Raymond. That's the sound of the intestinal muscles contracting to prepare for food. What's Not: High-pitched pinging like a submarine's sonar. "This may mean the stomach is trying to move food through a too-narrow opening, indicating a bowel obstruction," says Dr. Raymond. See your doctor pronto, especially if your belly is also distended. "If you're in pain, head to the emergency room," she advises. "The bowel obstruction may be severe." | ||
| Cracking Joints What's Normal: A joint that pops whenever you move it a certain way. What's Not: Cracking or popping accompanied by pain, swelling, or the inability to move properly. These could indicate an injury, a misalignment, or an obstruction of the joint caused by torn pieces of cartilage; they could also be symptoms of a chronic condition like arthritis, says Dr. Gordon Aamoth, MD, a professor of orthopedics at the University of Minnesota in Minneapolis. See your doctor. | ||
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Creaky Knees Related Features: | ||
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