Mindblown: a blog about philosophy.

A common gastrointestinal disorder involving an abnormal condition of gut contractions (motility) characterized by abdominal pain, bloating, mucous in stools, and irregular bowel habits with alternating diarrhea and constipation, symptoms that tend to be chronic and to wax and wane over the years. Although the disorder can cause chronic recurrent discomfort, it does not lead to any serious organ problems. Making…

A brief, automatic jerking movement. A muscle spasm can be quite painful, with the muscle clenching tightly. A spasm of the coronary artery can cause the pain of angina. Spasms in various types of tissue may be caused by stress, medication, and overexercise.

Pain in the throat. Sore throat may be caused by many different causes, including inflammation of the larynx, pharynx, or tonsils. First and foremost in frequency are viruses. Many viruses, and even those that cause mononucleosis (mono) and influenza (the flu), cause a sore throat. Some viruses can also produce painful blisters in the mouth and throat (aphthous stomatitis). A sore throat can also be caused…

1. (adjective) A popular term for painful, such as a sore throat. 2. (noun) A nondescript term for nearly any lesion of the skin or mucous membranes. He has a number of sores in his mouth. The word sore traces its origin to the Anglo-Saxon term sar which meant distressing, grievous, painful.

Sleepy or tending to cause sleep. From the Latin work somnus, meaning ‘sleep.’

Sleepiness, the state of feeling drowsy, ready to fall asleep. A person experiencing somnolence is somnolent and is acting somnolently. Somnolence, somnolent, and somnolently go back to the Latin “somnus” meaning (please don’t yawn) “sleep.”

Sleepwalking. Purposeful moving, usually but not always including walking, while in a deep stage of sleep. Sleepwalking occurs most frequently in children, particularly boys. Sedatives tend to exacerbate rather than cure sleepwalking. The best measures are preventative: ensure that the sleepwalker is in a safe room for walking, and cannot accidentally fall through an open…

1. Relating to the body. a. As distinguished from the mind (the psyche). b. From the Greek word somatikos meaning body.

The major positive ion (cation) in the fluid surrounding cells in the body. The chemical notation for sodium is Na+. When sodium is combined with chloride, the resulting substance is a crystal called table salt. Excess dietary sodium is largely excreted in the urine, but too much salt in the diet tends to increase the…

Fear of social gatherings, fear of socializing, fear of embarrassment in social situations that is extremely intrusive and can have markedly debilitating effects on personal and professional relationships. Phobias are persistent, excessive, irrational fears of certain objects or situations. People plagued by phobias recognize that their fears may be outsized and unreasonable, but are unable…