Hamstring Muscle Injuries
Hamstring muscle injuries — such as a "pulled hamstring" — occur frequently in
athletes. They are especially common in athletes who participate in sports that
require sprinting, such as track, soccer, and basketball.
A pulled hamstring or strain is an injury to one or more of the muscles at the back of
the thigh. Most hamstring injuries respond well to simple, nonsurgical treatments.
Anatomy
The hamstring muscles run down the back of the thigh. There are three hamstring
muscles:
Semitendinosus
Semimembranosus
Biceps femoris
They start at the bottom of the pelvis at a place called the ischial tuberosity. They
cross the knee joint and end at the lower leg. Hamstring muscle fibers join with the
tough, connective tissue of the hamstring tendons near the points where the tendons
attach to bones.
The hamstring muscle group helps you extend your leg straight back and bend your
knee.
Muscle Overload
Muscle overload is the main cause of hamstring muscle strain. This can happen when
the muscle is stretched beyond its capacity or challenged with a sudden load.
Hamstring muscle strains often occur when the muscle lengthens as it contracts, or
shortens. Although it sounds contradictory, this happens when you extend a muscle
while it is weighted, or loaded. This is called an "eccentric contraction."
During sprinting, the hamstring muscles contract eccentrically as the back leg is
straightened and the toes are used to push off and move forward. The hamstring
muscles are not only lengthened at this point in the stride, but they are also loaded
— with body weight as well as the force required for forward motion.
Like strains, hamstring tendon avulsions are also caused by large, sudden loads.
Recovery
Most people who injure their hamstrings will recover full function after completing a
rehabilitation plan. Early treatment with a plan that includes the RICE protocol and
physical therapy has been shown to result in better function and quicker return to
sports.
To prevent reinjuring your hamstring, be sure to follow your doctor's treatment plan.
Return to sports only after your doctor has given you the go-ahead. Reinjuring your
hamstring increases your risk of permanent damage. This can result in a chronic
condition.
Human Skeleton - It is composed of 270 bones at birth, but later decreases to 80
bones in the axial skeleton and 126 bones in the appendicular skeleton. Many
small supernumerary bones, such as some sesamoid bones, are not included in this
count.
An accessory bone or supernumerary boneis a bone that is not normally present in
the body, but can be found as a variant in a significant number of people. They pose
a risk of being misdiagnosed as bone fractures on radiography.
In anatomy, a sesamoid bone is a bone embedded within a tendon or a muscle. It
is derived from the Latin word sesamum, due to the small size of most sesamoids.
Often, these bones form in response to strain, or can be present as a normal variant.
The kneecap is the largest sesamoid bone in the body. Sesamoids act like pulleys,
providing a smooth surface for tendons to slide over, increasing the tendon's ability
to transmit muscular forces.
As a human ages, some of its bones fuse, a process which typically lasts until
sometime within the third decade of life. Therefore, the number of bones in an
individual may be evaluated differently throughout their life. In addition, the bones
of the skull and face are counted as separate bones, despite being fused naturally.
Individuals may have more or fewer bones than the average (even accounting for
developmental stage) owing to anatomical variations. The most common variations
include sutural (wormian) bones, which are located along the sutural lines on the
back of the skull, and sesamoid bones which develop within some tendons, mainly in
the hands and feet. Some individuals may also have additional (i.e.,
supernumerary) cervical ribs or lumbar vertebrae.
A fully grown adult features 26 bones in the spine, whereas a child can have 33.

Cervical vertebrae (7 bones)

Thoracic vertebrae (12 bones)

Lumbar vertebrae (5 bones)

Sacral vertebrae (5 bones at birth, fused into one after adolescence)

Coccygeal vertebrae (set of 4 bones at birth; some or all fuse together, but
there seems to be a disagreement between researchers as to what the most
common number should be. Some say the most common is 1, others say 2 or
3, with 4 being the least likely. It is counted as 1 in this article.
here are usually 26 bones in the chest but sometimes there can be additional cervical
ribs in humans. Cervical ribs occur naturally in other animals such as reptiles.



Hyoid (1)
Sternum (1)
Ribs (24, in 12 pairs)
 Cervical ribs are extra ribs that occur in some humans.
NOTE: Do women have on more rib than men?
Various bones of the human skeletal system.
There are usually 26 bones in the chest but sometimes there can be additional
cervical ribs in humans. Cervical ribs occur naturally in other animals such as reptiles.

Hyoid (1)

Sternum (1)

Ribs (24, in 12 pairs)

Cervical ribs are extra ribs that occur in some humans.
Head[edit]
There are 22 bones in the skull. Including the bones of the middle ear, the head
contains 28 bones.


Cranial bones (8)

Occipital bone

Parietal bones (2)

Frontal bone

Temporal bones (2)

Sphenoid bone (sometimes counted as facial)

Ethmoid bone (sometimes counted as facial)
Facial bones (14)

Nasal bones (2)

Maxillae (upper jaw) (2)

Lacrimal bone (2)

Zygomatic bone (2)

Palatine bone (2)

Inferior nasal concha (2)

Vomer

Mandible (1)

Hyoid bone (1)

Middle ears (6 bones in total, 3 on each side)

Malleus (2)

Incus (2)

Stapes (2)
Arm[edit]
There are a total of 64 bones in the arm.



Upper arm bones (6 bones in total; 3 on each side)

Humerus (2)

Pectoral girdle (shoulder)

Scapula (2)

Clavicles (2)
Lower arm bones (4 bones in total, 2 on each side)

Ulna (2)

Radius (2)
Hand (54 bones in total; 27 in each hand)

Carpals

Scaphoid bone (2)

Lunate bone (2)

Triquetral bone (2)

Pisiform bone (2)

Trapezium (2)

Trapezoid bone (2)

Capitate bone (2)

Hamate bone (2)

Metacarpals (10 bones in total; 5 on each side)

Phalanges of the hand

Proximal phalanges (10 bones in total; 5 on each side)

Intermediate phalanges (8 bones in total; 4 on each side)

Distal phalanges (10 bones in total; 5 on each side)
Pelvis (pelvic girdle)[edit]
The pelvis (or hip bone) is made up of three regions that have fused to form two
coxal bones. They are: ilium, ischium, and pubis

The sacrum and the coccyx attach to the two hip bones to form the pelvis, but
are more important to the spinal column, where they are counted.
Leg[edit]
There are a total of 60 bones in the legs.

Femur (2 bones)

Patella or kneecap (2 bones)

Tibia (2 bones)

Fibula (2 bones)

Foot (52 bones in total, 26 per foot)

Tarsus

Calcaneus or heel bone (2 bones)

Talus (2 bones)

Navicular bone (2 bones)

Medial cuneiform bone (2 bones)

Intermediate cuneiform bone (2 bones)

Lateral cuneiform bone (2 bones)

Cuboid bone (2 bones)

Metatarsals (10 bones)

Phalanges of the foot
Sum[edit]

Spine 26

Chest 26

Proximal phalanges (5 × 2 = 10 bones)

Intermediate phalanges (4 x 2 = 8 bones)

Distal phalanges (5 x 2 = 10 bones)

Head 28

Arms 64

Legs 60

Pelvis 2

Total: 206
Muscular System
The muscular system can be broken down into three types of muscles:
skeletal, smooth and cardiac. The muscles in the body support movement,
help maintain posture, and circulate blood and other substances throughout
the body.
The 650 muscles are given Latin names according to location, relative size,
shape, action, origin/inser-tion and/or number of origins.
In an hour of reading a book, the eyes make nearly 10,000 coordinated
movements.
The heart is the hardest-working muscle. It pumps out 2 ounces (57 grams)
of blood with every heartbeat. Daily, the heart pumps at least 2,500 gallons
(9,464 liters) of blood. The heart has the ability to beat more than 3 billion
times in a person’s life.
Skeletal muscle fibers can be divided into two types based on how they
produce and use energy:
The slow-twitch muscles are efficient at using oxygen and can function over a
long time before they fatigue.
Fast-twitch muscles are much better at generating short bursts of strength or
speed than slow-twitch muscles.
Three types of muscle:
Skeletal muscles control every action that a person consciously performs.
Visceral or smooth muscle is found inside of organs and is controlled by the
un-conscious part of the brain.
Cardiac muscle is found only in the heart and is responsible for pumping blood
throughout the body.
How the heart works?
The heart is an amazing organ. It pumps oxygen and nutrientrich blood throughout your body to sustain life. This fist-sized powerhouse
beats (expands and contracts) 100,000 times per day, pumping five or six
quarts of blood each minute, or about 2,000 gallons per day.
Your heart is a key part of your cardiovascular system, which also includes all
your blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the body and then back
to the heart.
How Does Blood Travel Through the Heart?
As the heart beats, it pumps blood through a system of blood vessels, called
the circulatory system. The vessels are elastic, muscular tubes that carry
blood to every part of the body.
Blood is essential. In addition to carrying fresh oxygen from
the lungs and nutrients to the body's tissues, it also takes the body's waste
products, including carbon dioxide, away from the tissues. This is necessary
to sustain life and promote the health of all parts of the body.
Smooth muscle fibers are often found forming sheets of tissue and function in a
coordinated fashion due to the presence of gap junctions between the cells. Termed
unitary smooth muscle or visceral muscle, this type of smooth muscle is the
most common observed in the human body, forming the walls of hollow organs.
Cardiac Muscle
Cardiac muscle tissue is an extremely specialized form of muscle tissue that has
evolved to pump blood throughout the body. In fact, cardiac muscle is only found in
the heart and makes up the bulk of the heart’s mass. The heart beats powerfully and
continuously throughout an entire lifetime without any rest, so cardiac muscle has
evolved to have incredibly high contractile strength and endurance. And because the
heart maintains its own rhythm, cardiac muscle has developed the ability to quickly
spread electrochemical signals so that all of the cells in the heart can contract
together as a team.
Cardiac muscle tissue is made up of
many interlocking cardiac muscle cells,
or fibers, that give the tissue its
properties. Each cardiac muscle fiber
contains a single nucleus and is striated,
or striped, because it appears to have
light and dark bands when seen through
a microscope. The dark bands represent
areas of thick protein filaments made of
myosin proteins that block light passing through the cell and appear dark. Between
the dark bands are thin filaments made of actin protein that allow light to pass
through and appear light. When the muscle fibers contract, myosin pulls the actin
filaments together like an accordion to shrink the muscle cell and make it contract.
While each cell is not very strong by itself, millions of cardiac muscle cells working
together are easily able to pump all of the blood in the body through the heart in less
than a minute.
Cardiac muscle cells have a branched shape so that each cell is in contact with
three of four other cardiac muscle cells. Together all of the cardiac muscle cells in the
heart form a giant network connected end to end. At the ends of each cell is a region
of overlapping, finger-like extensions of the cell membrane known as intercalated
disks. The intercalated disks form tight junctions between the cells so that they
cannot separate under the strain of pumping blood and so that electrochemical
signals can be passed quickly from cells to cell. The passage of signals from cell to
cell allows cardiac muscle tissue to contract very quickly in a wave-like pattern to
effectively pump blood throughout the body.
Another feature that is unique to cardiac muscle tissue is autorhythmicity.
Cardiac muscle tissue is able to set its own contraction rhythm due to the presence
of pacemaker cells that stimulate the other cardiac muscle cells. The pacemaker cells
normally receive inputs from the nervous system to increase or decrease the heart
rate depending on the body’s needs. However, in the absence of nervous system
stimulation, the pacemaker cells can produce a regular heart rhythm.
Did you know you have more than 600 muscles in your body? They do
everything from pumping blood throughout your body to helping you lift your heavy
backpack. You control some of your muscles, while others — like your heart — do
their jobs without you thinking about them at all.
Muscles are all made of the same material, a type of elastic tissue (sort of like
the material in a rubber band). Thousands, or even tens of thousands, of small fibers
make up each muscle.
You
have
three
different
types
body: smooth muscle, cardiac (say: KAR-dee-ak)
SKEL-uh-tul) muscle.
of
muscles
in
your
muscle, and skeletal (say:
Smooth Muscles
Smooth muscles — sometimes also called involuntary muscles — are usually
in sheets, or layers, with one layer of muscle behind the other. You can't control this
type of muscle. Your brain and body tell these muscles what to do without you even
thinking about it. You can't use your smooth muscles to make a muscle in your arm
or jump into the air.
But smooth muscles are at work all over your body. In your stomach and
digestive system, they contract (tighten up) and relax to allow food to make its
journey through the body. Your smooth muscles come in handy if you're sick and you
need to throw up. The muscles push the food back out of the stomach so it comes up
through the esophagus(say: ih-SAH-fuh-gus) and out of the mouth.
Smooth muscles are also found in your bladder. When they're relaxed, they
allow you to hold in urine (pee) until you can get to the bathroom. Then they contract
so that you can push the urine out. These muscles are also in a woman's uterus,
which is where a baby develops. There they help to push the baby out of the mother's
body when it's time to be born.
You'll find smooth muscles at work behind the scenes in your eyes, too. These
muscles keep the eyes focused.
A Hearty Muscle
The muscle that makes up the heart is called cardiac muscle. It is also known
as the myocardium (say: my-uh-KAR-dee-um). The thick muscles of the heart
contract to pump blood out and then relax to let blood back in after it has circulated
through the body.
Just like smooth muscle, cardiac muscle works all by itself with no help from
you. A special group of cells within the heart are known as the pacemaker of the
heart because it controls the heartbeat.
Skeletal Muscle
Now, let's talk about the kind of
muscle you think of when we say "muscle"
— the ones that show how strong you are
and let you boot a soccer ball into the goal.
These are your skeletal muscles —
sometimes called striated (say: STRY-aytud) muscle because the light and dark
parts of the muscle fibers make them look
striped (striated is a fancy word meaning
striped).
Skeletal
muscles
are
voluntary
muscles, which means you can control what
they do. Your leg won't bend to kick the
soccer ball unless you want it to. These
muscles
help
to
make
up
the musculoskeletal (say: mus-kyuh-lowSKEL-uh-tul) system — the combination of
your muscles and your skeleton, or bones.
Together, the skeletal muscles work
with your bones to give your body power and strength. In most cases, a skeletal
muscle is attached to one end of a bone. It stretches all the way across a joint (the
place where two bones meet) and then attaches again to another bone.
Skeletal muscles are held to the bones with the help of tendons (say: TENdunz). Tendons are cords made of tough tissue, and they work as special connector
pieces between bone and muscle. The tendons are attached so well that when you
contract one of your muscles, the tendon and bone move along with it.
Skeletal muscles come in many different sizes and shapes to allow them to do
many types of jobs. Some of your biggest and most powerful muscles are in your
back, near your spine. These muscles help keep you upright and standing tall.
They also give your body the power it needs to lift and push things. Muscles in
your neck and the top part of your back aren't as large, but they are capable of some
pretty amazing things: Try rotating your head around, back and forth, and up and
down to feel the power of the muscles in your neck. These muscles also hold your
head high.
Face Muscles
You may not think of it as a muscular body part, but your face has plenty of
muscles. You can check them out next time you look in the mirror. Facial muscles
don't all attach directly to bone like they do in the rest of the body. Instead, many of
them attach under the skin. This allows you to contract your facial muscles just a tiny
bit and make dozens of different kinds of faces. Even the smallest movement can
turn a smile into a frown. You can raise your eyebrow to look surprised or wiggle your
nose.
And while you're looking at your face, don't pass over your tongue — a muscle
that's attached only at one end! Your tongue is actually made of a group of muscles
that work together to allow you to talk and help you chew food. Stick out your tongue
and wiggle it around to see those muscles at work.
Major Muscles
Because there are so many skeletal muscles in your body, we can't list them
all here. But here are a few of the major ones:

In each of your shoulders is a deltoid (say: DEL-toyd) muscle. Your deltoid
muscles help you move your shoulders every which way — from swinging a
softball bat to shrugging your shoulders when you're not sure of an answer.

The pectoralis (say: pek-tuh-RAH-lus) muscles are found on each side of
your upper chest. These are usually called pectorals (say: PEK-tuh-rulz), or
pecs, for short. When many boys hit puberty, their pectoral muscles become
larger. Many athletes and bodybuilders have large pecs, too.

Below these pectorals, down under your ribcage, are your rectus
abdominus(say: REK-tus ab-DAHM-uh-nus) muscles, or abdominals (say:
ab-DAHM-uh-nulz). They're often called abs for short.

When you make a muscle in your arm, you tense your biceps (say: BYE-seps)
muscle. When you contract your biceps muscle, you can actually see it push
up under your skin.

Your quadriceps (say: KWAD-ruh-seps), or quads, are the muscles on the
front of your thighs. Many people who run, bike, or play sports develop large,
strong quads.

And when it's time for you to take a seat? You'll be sitting on your gluteus
maximus (say: GLOOT-ee-us MAK-suh-mus), the muscle that's under the
skin and fat in your behind!
The sense of space
In addition to the traditional big five, there is another sense that deals with how your
brain understands where your body is in space. This sense is called proprioception.
Proprioception includes the sense of movement and position of our limbs and
muscles. For example, proprioception enables a person to touch their finger to the
tip of their nose, even with their eyes closed. It enables a person to climb steps
without looking at each one. People with poor proprioception may be clumsy and
uncoordinated.
Researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that people who have
particularly poor proprioception through mechanosensation — the ability to sense
force, such as feeling when someone presses down on your skin — may have a
mutated gene that is passed down from generation to generation. That comes from
a September 2016 study in the New England Journal of Medicine. "The patient's
version of [the gene] PIEZO2 may not work, so their neurons cannot detect touch or
limb movements," Alexander Chesler, a principal investigator at the National Center
for Complementary and Integrative Health and the lead author of the study, said in
a statement.
Additional senses & variations
There are more-subtle senses that most people never really perceive. For example,
there are neuron sensors that sense movement to control balance and the tilt of the
head. Specific kinesthetic receptors exist for detecting stretching in muscles and
tendons, helping people to keep track of their limbs. Other receptors detect levels of
oxygen in certain arteries of the bloodstream.
Sometimes, people don't even perceive senses the same way. People with
synesthesia can see sounds as colors or associate certain sights with smells, for
example.
Is intelligence an acquired trait or hereditary?
Everything Physical is hereditary. It is inherited by our parents (or rather from our
parents genes). And these genes are modified (Mutation) over a period of time,
that's what Evolution is. If a mother (or rather parents) is physically strong, then it
is very likely that it's children will be Physically strong (only when they born)
compared to the children from a mother who is not physically very strong. After they
are born, then it depends on the children how able they are to maintains those good
mutation. (like physical strength developed by their parents) If they don't work
physically that hard, then obviously they won't remain strong, but if the other weak
children work really hard physically and get good diet as well, they can become
physically
much
stronger
to
the
other
ones.
Well, the same applies to intelligence as well. Everyone of us is born with some
hereditary intelligence. (like cells in our brain, some of us have weak and some
of have strong). But, later if we work hard and give good exercise to brain, we can
definitely improve them and gain some other ideas (may be some nerve cells (or
most of them) in the brain are quite idle and gets activated when we learn something
and they remain idle for some smart guys who does not learn that thing). So, most
of the intelligence we gain, is acquired.
Cutting the writs
This happens because there is a major artery in the wrists, and it can be felt and
seen. It is where the pulse is taken ona wrist. If this artery is cut, because it is so
large and a vital area for blood flow, the loss of blood will surely cause a person to
bleed to death in a very short amount of time. The human body only contains 4 quarts
of blood, so if your artery is punctured you will easily loose most of that blood, too
quickly for an infusion to replace it. Therefore, you will die within a couple minutes.
Cutting a wrist” does not always result in death. But, when death does result, it is
because the wound is cut deeply enough to sever the radial artery; the artery which
is typically used to take one’s pulse. (There is also an ulnar artery, but it is deeper,
and not as easily located or injured.) When the artery is severed it will begin to bleed
profusely. If the cutting is deep enough, and extends to the full width of the ulnar
aspect of the wrist, it is possible that the ulnar artery could also be lacerated, but
that is not usually the case (except in the most violent type of injury) in suicide
victims. If bleeding of the radial artery is not abated, enough blood will eventually be
lost to cause the heart to cease beating. At that point, death will occur.
Adam’s apple:
Sex difference. An Adam's apple is usually a feature of adult males, because its size
in
males
tends
to
increase
considerably
during
puberty.
However,
somewomen also have an Adam's apple. Its developmentis considered a
secondary sexual characteristic of males that appears as a result of hormonal activity
Extra fingers or toes:
Polydactyly is a condition where someone is born with one or more extra fingers or
toes. It can occur on one or both hands or feet.
The name comes from the Greek poly (many) and dactylos (finger). The extra fingers
or toes are described as "supernumerary," which means "more than the normal
number." For this reason, the condition is sometimes called supernumerary digit.
A range of treatments is available depending on the type of polydactyly, and the
cause is often genetic.
Causes
Polydactyly may be passed down in families.
When polydactyly is passed down, it is known as familial polydactyly. This form of
polydactyly typically happens in isolation, meaning a person may not experience any
associated symptoms.
Polydactyly may also be associated with a genetic condition or syndrome, which
means it may be passed down along with a genetic condition. If polydactyly is not
passed down, it occurs due to a change in a baby's genes while it is in the womb
Introduction to the urinary system
The urinary system consists of all the organs involved in the formation and release
of urine. It includes the kidneys, ureters, bladder and urethra.
The kidneys are bean-shaped organs which help the body produce urine to get rid
of unwanted waste substances. When urine is formed, tubes called ureters transport
it to the urinary bladder, where it is stored and excreted via the urethra. The
kidneys are also important in controlling our blood pressureand producing red blood
cells.
How might removal of one or both testicles affect a man’s sex life?
An orchidectomy is a surgical procedure that involves the removal of one or both
testicles. There are several reasons why a man might have this operation, such as
cancer, injury, or trauma to the area.
Regardless of the reason, the effects of this surgery on a man’s sex life depend on
the number of testicles removed.
When one testicle is removed, there is usually no effect on a man’s sexual function.
Most of the time, the remaining testicle produces enough testosterone and sperm to
compensate for the testicle that has been removed. Therefore, the man should still
be able to get an erection and ejaculate as he did before. He should also be able to
father biological children.
Removal of both testicles does affect a man’s sexual function. In this case, his body
cannot produce testosterone. Without this hormone, a man’s libido can decrease and
it might be difficult for him to have erections. However, testosterone replacement
therapy can help restore sexual function. (Click here to learn more about low
testosterone and testosterone replacement therapy.)
Men who have both testicles removed also become infertile, as the body is no longer
able to make sperm. Many men decide to bank sperm before surgery so that they
may father biological children in the future, if they wish.
In addition to the physical aspects of sexual function, removal of one or both testicles
can have some psychological and emotional effects as well. Some men develop body
image issues because their genitals no longer look the same. (Some choose to have
a testicular prosthesis – a false testis made of silicone – implanted at the time of
surgery.)
Men who have had one or both testicles removed might also feel less masculine or
anxious about how a sexual partner will react. These feelings can affect sexuality,
too. Open, honest communication can help alleviate some of these anxieties. Men
who need more help may benefit from seeing a counselor or sex therapist.
Next question: Why might a man need to have one or both testicles removed?
What Does the Bible Say About Dreams?
I have been dreaming a lot about being in water, feeling water flowing in my
heart. What is happening to me?
My answer will not necessarily be concerned with the scientific study of dreams,
but will focus on the Biblical foundation for the definition of a dream, the cause
of a dream, the reality of dreams, some common purposes for dreams and the
connection or lack of connection between dreams in the Bible and dreams today.
The Definition of a Dream
Once again I want to emphasize that we will define a dream using the scriptural
definition. We often speak of day dreaming or following our dreams in addition to
our standard concept of dreaming, but here we will focus on the dreams that we
have
during
sleep.
The
Bible
defines
a
dream
in Job
33:15
, "In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in
slumberings upon the bed;". The Bible says several things in this one verse. First
of all, a dream is a vision of the night. The verse also teaches that a dream occurs
when deep sleep falls upon men. According to the Bible, a vision is something
that occurs when a man is awake, while a dream is something that occurs when
a man is asleep. Some who study dreams say that we are always dreaming when
we sleep, but we only remember the dreams right before we awake. This would
actually fit with the scriptures in several cases where men remember a dream
that actually woke them up.
The Cause of a Dream
From everything that I have read about dreams, it seems as though we still do
not have solid answers as to what causes them. The Bible, however, does contain
a verse that quite possibly gives us the cause. Consider Ecclesiastes 5:3
, "For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool's voice is
known by multitude of words." Now it is interesting that several who study dreams
suggest that when your body slows down to rest, your mind continues to work.
The Bible says that the multitude of business will cause dreams. This could be the
multitude of physical and emotional business or it could be the multitude of
mental business, but either way it appears that this is what causes us to dream.
Though your body settles in rest, your mind can keep right on working and
thinking.
The Reality of Dreams
Dreams can appear to be very real. Sometimes you wake up scared, sometimes
mad and sometimes sad, yet you realize after a while that it was just a dream
and you settle down. The Bible speaks of this in Isaiah 29:8
when it says, "It shall even be as when an hungry man dreameth, and, behold,
he eateth; but he awaketh, and his soul is empty: or as when a thirsty man
dreameth, and, behold, he drinketh; but he awaketh, and, behold, he is faint,
and his soul hath appetite". You may dream of eating or drinking, but when you
awake you are still empty. It may have appeared real, but it was not.
Something else to consider here is that dreams are not necessarily supposed to
mean anything.
Consider Ecclesiastes
:
5:7
"For in the multitude of dreams and many words there are also divers vanities:
but fear thou God."
This verse tells us that a multitude of dreams can be worth absolutely nothing.
We are not to trust in them, however real they seem; we are rather to fear God.
Common Purposes for Dreams
In the Bible, especially the Old Testament, the Lord used dreams for various
reasons. We will not state all of them, but will give you a few to consider.
1. There were times when God used a dream to give a warning. Consider the
twelfth verse of Matthew 2 where the Bible says, "And being warned of God
in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their
own country another way." The Lord appeared to the wise men here for the
purpose of warning them not to return to Herod, but to go back home
another way. In the very next verse Joseph is also warned of the Lord in
a dream to flee into Egypt with the Lord Jesus. The very first dream that I
have seen in the scripture is when God spoke to Abimelech and warned him
that he had taken another man's wife. Obviously this is a common purpose
of dreams within the context of scripture.
2. There were times when God used a dream to reveal prophecy. Joseph was
a man subject to dreams and the interpretation of dreams. In Genesis 37,
Joseph dreamed a dream about his brethren bowing down to him. If you
know the story of Joseph, you know that the dreams are the only evidence
of this occuring until he was promoted to the second in command under
Pharaoh. For approximately 13 years he had nothing else but these dreams
that told of the future. If you are familiar with the Book of Daniel, you will
remember that Nebuchadnezzar dreamed dreams that have a tremendous
amount of prophecy in them. There are other dreams in the Bible that I
would consider to fall into this category as well.
3. There were times when God used a dream to encourage. I would have to
say that this is nowhere near as common as the first two, but I do believe
there is an instance that could be construed as a dream for the purpose of
encouraging obedience to the Lord. In Judges chapter 7, we find the Lord
thinning out the army of Gideon before he goes to battle with the vast army
of Midian. Gideon begins with 32,000 soldiers. In verse 3, we find that
22,000 went home because of fear and in verse 6, we find that 9,700 went
home because of the way they drank water. This left Gideon with an army
of only 300 soldiers. In this same chapter the Lord instructed Gideon that
if he was afraid he should go down unto the host and then he would be
strengthened. When Gideon arrived in the host, he heard a man telling a
dream to another man. The interpretation of the dream just so happened
to be that the army of Gideon was going to defeat the Midianites.
Immediately upon hearing of this dream, Gideon was strengthened and he
worshipped God. Surely the whole purpose for this man's dream was the
encouragement of Gideon.
Dreams of the Bible and Dreams Today
Now here is where people will begin to split from me and call me a heretic and all
sorts of other things. I personally believe that God does not speak to men through
dreams and visions today as He did in the Bible. Consider some things with me.
First of all, God used dreams in the Bible to warn men of sin and wrong, but today
we have His completed word that will keep us from sin. As a matter of fact the
Psalmist said, "Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against
thee." Something else to consider is that dreams were often for the purpose of
revealing prophecy, yet we have in the word of God the revelation of the future
events that God wants to make known to men. Another point to consider is Joel's
reference
to
prophesy,
dreams
and
visions.
In Joel
2:28
he says, "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon
all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall
dream dreams, your young men shall see visions:". Now this verse is quoted as
coming
to
pass
in Acts
2:17
, yet any honest student of the Bible knows that 1.) not all of what Joel said was
fulfilled on Pentecost and 2.) the signs and wonders that were associated with the
age of the apostles were for the Jews and went out of business during the ministry
of the apostle Paul. Yet Joel still prophesied that dreams will again be a means
whereby God speaks to men, but in the context of Joel 2 it is easily understood
that this will occur during the time of the tribulation.
Now, let me clarify something on the other end of this argument. I very strongly
believe that God can and will allow people to have dreams that could turn them
to Him. For example, I believe God would allow a man to have a dream about
hell, if it would keep him from going there. I just don't believe that we can give
our dreams the weight that we can give to Bible dreams. Ultimately when we
dream and it causes us concern, we ought to go to God and ask Him if He is trying
to teach us something. If the Lord does not burn it into your heart that He is
trying to teach you something then chalk it up to a multitude of business and go
on about your day.
Freud (1915) described conscious mind, which consists of all the mental processes
of which we are aware, and this is seen as the tip of the iceberg. For example, you
may be feeling thirsty at this moment and decide to get a drink.
The preconscious contains thoughts and feelings that a person is not currently
aware of, but which can easily be brought to consciousness (1924). It exists just
below the level of consciousness, before the unconscious mind. The preconscious
is like a mental waiting room, in which thoughts remain until they 'succeed in
attracting the eye of the conscious' (Freud, 1924, p. 306).
This is what we mean in our everyday usage of the word available memory. For
example, you are presently not thinking about your mobile telephone number, but
now it is mentioned you can recall it with ease. Mild emotional experiences may be
in the preconscious but sometimes traumatic and powerful negative emotions are
repressed and hence not available in the preconscious.
Finally, the unconscious mind comprises mental processes that are inaccessible to
consciousness but that influence judgements, feelings, or behavior (Wilson, 2002).
According to Freud (1915), the unconscious mind is the primary source of human
behavior. Like an iceberg, the most important part of the mind is the part you
cannot see.
Our feelings, motives and decisions are actually powerfully influenced by our past
experiences, and stored in the unconscious.
Freud applied these three systems to his structure of the personality, or psyche –
the id, ego and superego. Here the id is regarded as entirely unconscious whilst the
ego and superego have conscious, preconscious, and unconscious aspect.
Unconscious Mind
While we are fully aware of what is going on in the conscious mind, we
have no idea of what information is stored in the unconscious mind.
The unconscious contains all sorts of significant and disturbing material
which we need to keep out of awareness because they are too
threatening to acknowledge fully.
The unconscious mind acts as a repository, a ‘cauldron’ of primitive
wishes and impulse kept at bay and mediated by the preconscious area.
For example, Freud (1915) found that some events and desires were
often too frightening or painful for his patients to acknowledge, and
believed such information was locked away in the unconscious mind.
This can happen through the process of repression.
The unconscious mind contains our biologically based instincts (eros and
thanatos) for the primitive urges for sex and aggression (Freud, 1915).
Freud argued that our primitive urges often do not reach consciousness
because they are unacceptable to our rational, conscious selves. People
has developed a range of defence mechanisms (such as repression) to
avoid knowing what their unconscious motives and feelings are.
Freud (1915) emphasized the importance of the unconscious mind, and
a primary assumption of Freudian theory is that the unconscious mind
governs behavior to a greater degree than people suspect. Indeed, the
goal of psychoanalysis is to reveal the use of such defence mechanisms
and thus make the unconscious conscious.
Freud believed that the influences of the unconscious reveal themselves
in a variety of ways, including dreams, and in slips of the tongue, now
popularly known as 'Freudian slips'. Freud (1920) gave an example of
such a slip when a British Member of Parliament referred to a colleague
with whom he was irritated as 'the honorable member from Hell' instead
of from Hull.
Critical Evaluation
Initially, psychology was sceptical regarding the idea of mental
processes operating at an unconscious level. To other psychologists
determined to be scientific in their approach (e.g. behaviorists) the
concept of the unconscious mind has proved a source of considerable
frustration because it defies objective description, and is extremely
difficult to objectively test or measure.
However, the gap between psychology and psychoanalysis has
narrowed, and the notion of the unconscious is now an important focus
of psychology. For example, cognitive psychologyhas identified
unconscious processes, such as procedural memory (Tulving, 1972),
automatic processing (Bargh & Chartrand, 1999; Stroop, 1935), and
social
psychology
has
shown
the
importance
of implicit
processing (Greenwald & Banaji, 1995). Such empirical findings have
demonstrated the role of unconscious processes in human behavior.
However, empirical research in psychology has revealed the limits of the
Freudian theory of the unconscious mind, and the modern notion of an
'adaptive unconscious' (Wilson, 2004) is not the same as the
psychoanalytic one. Indeed, Freud (1915) has underestimated the
importance of the unconscious, and in terms of the iceberg analogy
there is a much larger portion of the mind under the water. The mind
operates most efficiently by relegating a significant degree of high level,
sophisticated processing to the unconscious.
Whereas Freud (1915) viewed the unconscious as a single entity,
psychology now understands the mind to comprise a collection of
modules that has evolved over time and operate outside of
consciousness. For example, universal grammar (Chomsky, 1972) is an
unconscious language processor that lets us decide whether a sentence
is correctly formed. Separate to this module is our ability to recognize
faces quickly and efficiently, thus illustrating how unconscious modules
operate independently.
Finally, while Freud believed that primitive urges remained unconscious
to protect individuals from experiencing anxiety, the modern view of the
adaptive unconscious is that most information processing resides
outside of consciousness for reasons of efficiency, rather than repression
(Wilson, 2004).
THE UNCONSCIOUS MIND IN CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY
In medicine especially in psychoanalysis, we talk a lot about the unconscious mind
and the influences it exerts on our lives. As you may already know, our minds can be
divided into the conscious and unconscious mind.
A lot of my readers care about their spiritual or inner life and some wonder how the
unconscious is viewed in popular religious traditions like Christianity, Islam,
Buddhism etc.
Today, I will focus only on the view of the unconscious in Christian theology by letting
us hear from what two esteemed Christian theologians have to say about it.
Dr. John Piper’s views on the unconscious
Dr. John Piper, renown theologian and pastor, said this:
“I would say probably 99 percent of our lives is lived without immediate reflection
upon a life principle. Rather, we just act. If you think about your day there are maybe
a hundred big decisions you make in a day. And by ‘big’ I just mean ‘conscious.’
But right now, I am just talking to you. I am just choosing words. Before every word,
I am not stopping and saying, “Now, what principle is going to govern this word, and
what principle is going to govern this sentence?” They are just kind of tumbling out
of me right now.
Well, that is scary. Right? Where did they come from? Most of our lives are lived
spontaneously. Most of our lives are not lived after ten seconds of reflection on a
biblical principle. So where do they come from? They come from being a kind of
person.
And that raises the question, how do you become a kind of person so that you are a
good tree that bears spontaneous good fruit instead of a bad tree that bears
spontaneously bad fruit? And the answer is you soak in the Scriptures and you let
your sight of Jesus and your taste of Jesus and his ways in the Bible affect and shape
your soul. Your soul marinates in the sauces of grace until the soul is made soft and
tender and supple and sensitive to the leadings of the Holy Spirit so that in a kind of
spontaneous way, it responds.
Jesus said we will be called to account for every idle word that we speak. Now, idle
words are words spoken before you have a chance to think on any biblical principle
that you have gotten from your text in the morning. So I think people who are bent
on trying to get three principles or three points or something and then try consciously
to follow them during the day are trying to do something impossible that we were
never designed to do.
I would put it like this. A godly life is lived out of a heart that is just astonished at
grace — “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me.” So we
go to the Bible to be astonished. We go to the Bible to be amazed at God and amazed
at Christ and amazed at the cross and amazed at grace and amazed at the gospel.
And when we are stunned and amazed and humbled, we walk out of our study or our
chair or wherever we are having devotions, and there is a spirit and a flavor about
us that makes us a better person at the kitchen table and when we go to work.
All that just to say I am not opposed to principles. Good night, I write books in which
I am trying to do things so they are helpful to meditate on. But that is the key:
meditating on truth shapes the soul. 2 Corinthians 3:18 says that we become what
we behold. So my goal in reading the Bible is mainly to become a kind of person.
Don’t amass a long list.”
At this point, the interviewer interjects and asks Piper a clarifying question:
Pastor John, do you think it is appropriate to talk about the subconscious here? Is it
right to say we live out the Christian life through an informed, Spirit-filled
subconscious?
Yes. That is basically what I was trying to say, that most of our life is lived from
resources that are not presently reflected on in our mind. Our words are coming from
inside — “What comes out of the mouth proceeds from the heart, and this defiles a
person” (Matthew 15:18). And most of that heart is unconscious or subconscious and
that is shaped day by day by what we are taking in. It is shaped by what we do with
our eyes on the computer, and it is especially shaped by what we do with our Bibles
and our prayer.
Whenever I pray I am pleading with God, “Work down deeper than I can get in my
reading right now. Take your scalpel, and don’t just deal with the sins I am aware of:
go be a surgeon.” Surgeons put you to sleep, and they go into places on your body
you don’t know anything about and work on you. That is what God has to do with us.
So, yes I think the subconscious is being worked on by the Holy Spirit all the time.
Dr. Dallas Willard’s views on the unconscious
The late renowned professor of philosophy at the University of Southern California,
Dallas Willard, –himself also a Christian theologian and minister–argued that the soul
is the total person. In other words, a soul is a complete human being and is made
up of 4 major distinct but interconnected parts: The body, mind, spirit, and social
connectedness.
In his book, Renovation of the Heart,
Now, right on the conscious surface of our “world within” lie some of our thoughts,
feelings, intentions, and plans. These are the ones we are aware of. They may be
fairly obvious to others as well as to ourselves. In terms of them, we consciously
approach our world and our actions within it.
But these surface aspects are also a good indication of the general nature of the
unconscious “spiritual depth within,” of what sorts of things make it up. But the
thoughts, feelings, and intentions we are aware of are, after all, only a small part of
the ones that are really there in our depths; and they often are not the ones most
revealing of who we actually are and why we do what we do.
What we really think, how we really feel, and what we really would do in
circumstances foreseen and unforeseen may be totally unknown to ourselves or to
others familiar with us. We may pass one another–even pass ourselves, if you can
image that–like “ships in the night.” We do it all the time.
Christian theology is clear about the existence of the unconscious and the significant
part it plays in influencing our lives. Jesus Christ went so far as to say our hearts
reflect who we really are. You are a good person if you have a good heart and an evil
person if you have an evil heart.
“No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is
recognized by its own fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from
briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an
evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks
what the heart is full of.” Jesus Christ.
The heart as Jesus uses it and is Christian theology uses it is not limited to the
conscious mind alone but actually mostly the unconscious mind. The word “kardia” is
translated to mean the heart; mind, character, inner self, will, intention, center. It
means the “seat and center of all physical and spiritual life and the vigor and sense
of physical life.” It is also presented as the “seat of the thoughts, passions, desires,
appetites, affections, purposes, endeavors”
In Christian theology, meditating on truth is how one renews the mind (conscious
and unconscious) and develops the right perspective or paradigms for interpreting
life.
Bone Diseases
he human body contains 206 bones. Bones are living tissue, just like all the other
parts of our bodies and, as such, are constantly going through a cycle of renewal.
Older bone tissue is replaced with newly formed bone tissue in a process called
remodeling. Much like the remodeling of a home, our skeletal structure is reinforced
so that we can depend on it throughout our lives.
We commonly measure the condition of our bones by its density or “bone mass.” A
bone mineral density (BMD) screening, for example, can help a physician identify the
calcium content of bones – and thus how strong our bones are.
Our bone density peaks when we are young adults, typically between the ages of 25
and 30. Thereafter, as we continue to age, our bones gradually lose density. But
there are ways to combat this natural loss of bone mass – such as vitamins and
minerals, medications like estrogen replacement therapy, and strength-training and
weight-bearing exercises.
So, what are the most common diseases or disorders that affect the bones? Here are
10 you’ll want to avoid if possible:
1. Osteoporosis: Osteoporosis, in which low density means the bones are brittle
and weak and prone to easily break, is by far the most common bone disease.
It currently affects 44 million – or approximately half of all – Americans aged
50 and older. Osteoporosis strikes more women than men, and even children
may be at risk of developing juvenile osteoporosis. Bone density problems may
occur because the body loses too much bone tissue, makes too little of it, or
some combination of both. It tends to be symptomless. That is, people with
osteoporosis tend not to know they have it – until a bone fracture has them
visiting a doctor who makes the diagnosis.
2. Paget’s Disease: This is a bone disorder where the bone renewal process
(remodeling) occurs too quickly, leading to bone deformities (soft, enlarged
bones such as of the spine, pelvis, skull, and the long bones of the thighs and
lower leg). Paget’s disease tends to occur in white adults over the age of 55
and may have a hereditary component.
3. Bone Infection: Also called osteomyelitis, infection of bone tissue is a rare
but serious condition. It can occur following a surgery, such as a hip
replacement, or may spread to the bones from another part of the body. Pain,
swelling, and redness are common symptoms of a bone infection, and
antibiotics are a common component of treatment. In some cases, portions of
the infected bone may need to be surgically removed.
4. Osteonecrosis: Without blood, bone tissue dies, a disease called
osteonecrosis. In most cases, it occurs as the result of trauma to the bone that
disrupts blood flow to the bone – such as a hip fracture. Prolonged high-dose
steroid use can also cause this type of bone cell death. Once the bone tissue
dies, the bone weakens and collapses. Pain that gradually gets worse may
indicate osteonecrosis.
5. Bone Tumors: Bone tumors occur when the uncontrolled growth of cells
occurs inside bone. These tumors can be benign or malignant, although benign
(noncancerous) bone tumors that do not impinge on other bone tissue and do
not spread are more common.
6. Osteoarthritis: A chronic degenerative joint disease, osteoarthritis is the
most common type of arthritis, with more than 3 million Americans diagnosed
each year. Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that acts as a cushion
between bones breaks down and the bones rub together, causing pain,
inflammation, and stiffness.
7. Rheumatoid Arthritis: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, immunodeficiency
disorder in which the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s tissues,
such as the joints in the hands and feet. Unlike the wear-and-tear damage that
occurs with osteoarthritis, RA affects the lining of your joints, causing a painful
swelling that can eventually result in bone erosion and joint deformity.
8. Scoliosis: This condition, in which the bones of the spine curve abnormally to
the left or right, usually strikes just prior to puberty. There are approximately
3 million scoliosis diagnosis made each year in the US, although most cases
are mild. In some cases, the spinal deformities get worse with time. Its cause
is unknown, although a hereditary component is suspected.
10.Low Bone Density: Also called osteopenia, it is diagnosed when a person’s
bone density is lower than it should be. Low bone density can lead to
osteoporosis, which causes fractures, pain, and a stooped appearance. It is
important to make the changes necessary to improve bone density if you are
diagnosed with osteopenia.
11.Gout: The joints are unusually affected in people who develop gout, a common
disorder in which excess uric acid crystals accumulate in the joints, causing
abnormal swelling, pain, and redness. The big toe is typically noticeably
swollen, but symptoms may also occur in other joints, including the ankle,
foot, or knee. Gout may occur due to your diet, or if your kidneys are not
properly processing uric acid.
GO
What Causes Kyphosis?
Kyphosis, also known as roundback or hunchback, is a condition in which the spine
in the upper back has an excessive curvature. The upper back, or thoracic region of
the spine, is supposed to have a slight natural curve. The spine naturally curves in
the neck, upper back, and lower back to help absorb shock and support the weight
of the head. Kyphosis occurs when this natural arch is larger than normal.
If you have kyphosis, you may have a visible hump on your upper back. From the
side, your upper back may be noticeably rounded or protruding. In addition, people
with hunchback appear to be slouching and have noticeable rounding of the
shoulders. Kyphosis can lead to excess pressure on the spine, causing pain. It may
also cause breathing difficulties due to pressure put on the lungs.
Kyphosis in elderly women is known as dowager’s hump.
Common causes of kyphosis
Kyphosis can affect people of any age. It rarely occurs in newborns because it’s
usually caused by poor posture. Kyphosis caused by poor posture is called postural
kyphosis.
When to seek treatment for kyphosis
You should seek treatment if your kyphosis is accompanied by:
pain
breathing difficulties
fatigue
Much of our bodily movement depends on the health of the spine, including our:
flexibility
mobility
activity
Getting treatment to help correct the curvature of your spine may help you reduce
the risk of complications later in life, including arthritis and back pain.
Treating kyphosis
Treatment for kyphosis will depend on its severity and underlying cause. Here are
some of the more common causes and treatments:

Scheuermann’s disease: A child may receive physical therapy, braces, or
corrective surgery.

Infection: Your doctor will probably prescribe antibiotics for you.

Tumors: Typically, tumors are only removed if there’s concern for spinal cord
compression. If this is present, the surgeon may try to remove the tumor, but
frequently this destabilizes the bone. In such cases, a spinal fusion is often
also necessary.

Osteoporosis: It’s essential to treat bone deterioration to prevent kyphosis
from worsening.

Poor posture: You will not need aggressive treatments.
Risks of untreated kyphosis
For most people, kyphosis does not cause serious health problems. This is dependent
on the cause of the kyphosis. If kyphosis is caused by poor posture, you may suffer
from pain and breathing difficulties. These will only get worse later in life.
You can treat kyphosis early by:

strengthening the muscles of the back

seeing a physical therapist
Your goal will be to improve your posture long-term to decrease pain and other
symptoms.