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Monday, October 12, 2009

Why does your uvula make you throw up?

Or in other words how does it make you throw up, and what do you have to do to it to make you throw up.
I'm not bulimic or any effing thing like that I'm just interested.
Answer:
It's all about the gag reflex. Throwing up is a subset of gag reflexes, one that a lot of people don't show unless they're very sick. It's not just the uvula that sets of the gag reflex, there are five areas that classical do: the palatoglossal and palatopharyngeal folds, base of tongue, palate, uvula, and posterior pharyngeal wall; but essentially, they're all places at the back of the mouth.Of course, we have the gag reflex to stop us from chocking, something adult humans can do more easily than any other animal because of the very high position of the opening of the larynx into the pharynx (the lung hole into the throat hole).Once the gag reflex is set off, it activates nerves that pass through several of the cranial nerves, to the parts in the brain stem that deal with vomiting (though there is no true "vomiting center" in the brain, even though some text books say there is). These various locations in the brain activate the vomiting pattern, moving gastric contents up, closing the larynx etc...To make yourself gag, you just need to poke any of those places mentioned above. Some people vomit easily from that, others need to do it for a long period to vomit. (Actually feeling sick helps). Also, some people just don't have a gag reflex.
actually its not the uvula that makes you throw up, the gag reflex is on the tongue just under the uvula.
It's the body's way of protecting itself. If something is in your mouth and it shouldn't be, or if it is food that is close to becoming lodged in your windpipe, the body vomits to try to expel whatever it is that triggered that gag reflex.
It's the gag reflex that makes you throw up. I was sick one time but unable to throw up even though I felt I had to.My sister took the handle of my toothbrush and put it in my mouth on my tongue. Just before it hit the back of my throat my gag reflex kicked in and..well you could imagine the rest..!

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