Health24.com | Things you shouldn’t say to someone who stutters

Posted on 21/10/2017 by Boris Clair

Stuttering is an impediment that affects fluency of speech. It can begin during childhood and last well into one’s adult years.

What causes stuttering?

Stuttering can be caused by different things:

Genetics
Language and speech development when young
Neurophysiology (stuttering can occur after a head injury or stroke)
Anxiety (although emotional trauma doesn’t always cause stuttering)

How is it diagnosed?

Stuttering can be diagnosed by a speech therapist. If you suspect your child stutters, it’s important to seek help and treatment as soon as possible.

Almost 70 million people worldwide stutter. There are ways to treat and control stuttering through speech therapy and breathing exercises, but there is no definite cure.

This video also gives us insight into stuttering in a funny, yet informative way.

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Marelize Wilke

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Health24.com | This is exactly how long the sex ‘afterglow’ lasts, according to science

Posted on 21/10/2017 by Boris Clair

It’s no secret why most people have sex: They’re horny and want to get some.

But doing the dirty also creates those some warm, fuzzy feelings post-sex that make you feel super close with your partner.

Now, new research suggests that closeness can last long after you’ve done the deed.

A data analysis of more than 200 newlywed couples published in the journal Psychological Science found that sex “afterglow” can last up to two days after you’ve hooked up.

For the study, researchers analysed data in which spouses reported their daily sexual activity and sexual satisfaction for 14 days. They also reported on their satisfaction with their marriage at the start of the study and four to six months after it started.

Researchers came up with several complicated-looking math equations using this data and found that people feel sexually fulfilled after getting it on (especially on the same day that they had sex – no shocker there).

But they also reported feeling more sexually satisfied in the 48 hours post-sex session, too.

And it’s not just a sex thing: Couples who reported sexual satisfaction also said they had higher levels of relationship satisfaction – both at the start of the study and over time.

The association was the same for men and women of all ages, and stood up even after researchers took into account how often couples had sex, their personality traits and how long they’d been together.

“We interpret these findings as evidence that sexual afterglow is a proximal cognitive mechanism through which sex promotes pair bonding,” the study authors wrote.

The researchers point out that there are obvious limitations to the study, like the fact that people are more likely to want to report their sexual and marital satisfaction in a positive way.

They also noted that some people may have had sex when they weren’t really in the mood to please their partner, which may not cause the same afterglow effect.

So if you’re trying to get a sense of how often you should boink to keep the warm-fuzzies going in your relationship, it looks like every two days is the magic number.

Thought you knew it all? Um…Bet you haven’t heard of these! We’ve got 101 sex tips guaranteed to keep you busy (and satisfied) all summer long.

This article was originally published on www.womenshealthsa.co.za

Image credit: iStock

Korin Miller

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Health24.com | This is how having sex actually makes your brain smarter

Posted on 21/10/2017 by Boris Clair

Okay, so there are tons of reasons why you should have sex right now.

But here’s one you might not have thought of: Having frequent sex might boost your brain, researchers from Coventry University in the UK suggest.

In the study, researchers asked 73 older adults how often they had sex, and then had them perform tasks that tested their brain function – including things like attention, memory, fluency, language and visuospatial abilities.

They discovered that people who had sex at least weekly scored higher on tests of cognitive function – and, more specifically, on tests that measured verbal fluency and visuospatial ability – than those who had sex less frequently.

So, for example, they were able to name more animals and more words that started with the letter “F”, in 60 seconds, and were better able to copy a complex drawing from memory.

One possible reason? The more sex you have, the more dopamine your brain produces, the researchers believe.

That’s important, since the neurotransmitter has been linked to a bunch of important brain functions, like better working memory and executive function.

It’s also possible that more sex means more social, physical and mental engagement, which has also been shown to protect neurons in your brain as you age.

Since the study was done on older adults, it’s not exactly clear how having sex affects your brain now.

But it does suggest that staying active underneath the sheets can give you a mental boost as you grow older.

This article was originally published on www.mh.co.za

Image credit: iStock

Christa Sgobba

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Health24.com | The 10 worst things that could happen to your penis

Posted on 21/10/2017 by Boris Clair

Invaginated. That’s the technical term doctors use to describe your penis being turned inside-out… er, outside-in. And yes, it could happen to you.

Also known as “trapped penis”, invagination is usually the result of some kind of forceful impact on your rod.

Basically, your penis is smashed straight back into your body with so much force that it becomes “trapped” in the fatty, subcutaneous tissue located between your pelvis and pecker, explains Hsin-Kai Wang, MD, of Taipei Veterans General Hospital in Taiwan.

According to photos from Dr Wang’s recent case study of a motorcycle accident victim, this condition resembles an empty sheath of skin not unlike the end of an elephant’s trunk.

(A friendly warning: do not Google “invaginated penis”.)

The good news is that this sort of accident is very uncommon, Dr Wang says. Also, it’s largely reversible through “manual extraction” and surgery.

“There was no direct injury to the penis during the incident,” Dr Wang said of his very lucky report subject. This guy was able to have sex and urinate normally after his penis was “extracted” – which is a lot more than we can say for most of the unfortunate men on this list.

Here are nine more member-related maladies that will give you nightmares forever.

1. Saxophone penis

The result of a blocked lymph node or a bacterial infection related to chlamydia, this rare condition leaves the penis swollen and twisted, according to a case study from India. Also known as “ram’s horn” penis, drugs can help with the swelling and twisting, and normal urination is achievable – if you turn sideways. But sex may be impossible, the authors say.

2. Crossed wires

Shoddy bowel surgery or prostate cancer treatment can, in very rare cases, lead to a “fistula” – a tissue tear that connects your urinary canal to your rectum. Telltale signs of this condition are urine dripping from your butt and, yes, faeces making its way into your pee channel and bladder.

It’s fully reversible, but the recovery is long and difficult, according to materials published by the urology department at the University of Utah.

Read more: 6 penis problems and solutions

3. Something fishy

If the piranhas, caimans and stingrays aren’t enough to keep you from taking a dip in the Amazon River, maybe this’ll do the trick: The candiru, or “toothpick fish”, has been known to dart into the penis openings of swimming men.

Confusing your urethra for a fish’s breathing gill, this freshwater catfish – once inserted – opens a network of umbrella-like spines, allowing it to feast on your blood. Extraction is as painful as you’d imagine.

4. Buried alive

If part of your penis shaft is accidentally cut away along with foreskin during a botched circumcision, your penis can grow attached to your scrotum as it heals.

The result is a shaft “buried”, or stuck, in the layer of fat located around your genitalia. Fortunately, it’s fully correctable through surgery, shows research from Eastern Virginia Medical School.

5. Trouble with the curve

A plaque buildup in your penis causes Peyronie’s disease – a dramatic curve in your Johnson that makes erections painful and sex difficult. Even more frightening: Between 65 000 and 120 000 middle-aged men are diagnosed with the disease each year in the United States.

Drugs or surgery may help. But a full recovery isn’t guaranteed, says Culley C Carson III, MD, of the University of North Carolina.

6. Broken penis

While there are no bones in your boner, you can “break” your penis’ corpus cavernosa – cylindrical tubes that fill with blood when you have an erection, according to doctors from Ohio State University OSU).

If these tubes are bent while you’re hard – usually the result of vigorous sex – they can rupture and cause blood to fill your penis, leading to swelling and permanent deformity or loss of sexual function if not surgically treated immediately, the OSU doctors say.

7. Doggone it

After drinking too much, most guys have misplaced keys or a wallet – or spent R1 000 on shots for buddies. But one Dominican Republic man woke up from a bender to find his penis missing.

Neighbours of the 64-year-old informed him a dog had attacked him while he was drunk and chewed off his member.

8. A permanent gesture

After having his girlfriend’s initials tattooed on his shaft, an Iranian man enjoyed a three-month erection followed by a permanent state of semi-rigidness.

The cause: abnormally high blood flow resulting from the tattoo artist’s needle going a little too deep. Since he could still have sex, the guy decided he’d just live with it. Think of it as a radical cure for whiskey-dick.

Read more: Does your penis smell

9. Rough day at work

A Florida man filed suit against a staffing agency after his penis and testicles were shorn away by an “industrial peeler”.

Designed to lop uneven edges off carpet rolls, the peeler claimed the man’s package after he was assigned to operate the machine without adequate training – or so his lawsuit claims.

^{This article was originally published on www.mh.co.za}

^{Image credit: iStock}

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Health24.com | Sex, love and bicycles

Posted on 21/10/2017 by Boris Clair

1. A leaner body

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, overweight people are at increased risk for high blood pressure, diabetes, heart disease, cancer and more – any of which can ruin your sex life.

Another tidbit to spur along male slackers: Abdominal fat can add up around the base of the penis, making it appear smaller.

You can “lose” 2.54cm of penis for every extra 15kg you carry.

2. Stress relief

It’s difficult to remain amorous when job and family pressures hang over the bed like a black cloud. But throw a leg over the saddle and you throw stress out the window.

“Aerobic exercise, such as cycling, is considered one of the healthiest ways to relieve stress,” says Scott Saifer, exercise physiologist and CEO of Wenzel Coaching.

3. Improved stamina

A study conducted by the Harvard School of Public Health showed that men over 50 who kept physically active were 30% less likely to suffer from erectile dysfunction than men who were inactive.

In fact, according to the researchers, the most physically active men seemed to have the sexual ability of men two to five years younger.

4. Increased arousal

A University of Texas at Austin researcher found that vigorous exercise – specifically cycling – helped increase sexual arousal in women, both subjectively (the women reported being more aroused from an X-rated movie after a brief ride than they were without the ride) and objectively (blood flow to the genitals was significantly increased).

5. Higher sex drive

Testosterone is directly related to sex drive in both men and women, making us want to have sex, pursue sex, initiate sex and perhaps dominate the lovemaking.

A study at Britain’s University of Newcastle upon Tyne found that older men who exercise regularly produce more growth hormone and testosterone than those who lead an inactive life.

Regular exercise can boost testosterone levels in women, as well – proof that regular rides will make you want to ride regularly.

6. More frequent sex

Riding on a regular basis increases the frequency of coupling. In an Archives of Sexual Behavior study, 78 sedentary but healthy men (average age 48 years) participated in a moderate aerobic exercise programme – mainly cycling and jogging – three to four days a week for nine months.

At the end of the study, the men reported a significant increase in their sexual arousal, activity, function and satisfaction. One inspiring example: Their frequency of intercourse went up by 30%.

This article was originally published on www.bicycling.co.za

Image credit: iStock

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Daily Archives: 21/10/2017

Health24.com | Things you shouldn’t say to someone who stutters

Health24.com | This is exactly how long the sex ‘afterglow’ lasts, according to science

Health24.com | This is how having sex actually makes your brain smarter

Health24.com | The 10 worst things that could happen to your penis

Health24.com | Sex, love and bicycles