Doctor explains why getting just 5 hours of sleep per night can lead to ‘an early death’

A surgeon has revealed the dangers that could arise from oral sex, including one deadly disease.

Oral sex is something that is largely accepted in today’s world, with many people engaging in the activity.

As with all sexual activity, oral sex should be practiced safely. Credit: Oleksandr Sharkov / Getty

Although some perceive it as a safer alternative to unprotected sex, some dangers come with it.

Approximately 18,000 Americans are diagnosed annually with oropharyngeal cancer, a form of head and neck cancer that is increasingly linked to human papillomavirus (HPV), according to medical experts at Yale Medicine.

While this type of cancer historically affected older adults, more cases are emerging in younger generations, with one UK-based surgeon pointing to a specific cause.

“Oropharyngeal cancer is sexually transmitted. For oropharyngeal cancer, the main risk factor is the number of lifetime sexual partners, especially oral sex,” said Dr. Hisham Mehanna, a professor at the University of Birmingham, UK, in a piece published on The Conversation.

“Those with six or more lifetime oral sex partners are 8.5 times more likely to develop oropharyngeal cancer than those who do not practice oral sex,” Mehanna added.

Oropharyngeal cancer affects the middle section of the throat, including the soft palate, tonsils, and the back of the tongue.

Common symptoms include persistent sore throat, difficulty swallowing, ear pain, unexplained weight loss, lumps in the mouth, throat, or neck, and a persistent white patch in the mouth.

Treatment options include radiation, chemotherapy, a combination of both, or surgery to remove the tumor.

Oral sex could lead to serious health issues. Credit: PeopleImages/Getty

While oropharyngeal cancer linked to HPV often has a better prognosis than cases associated with heavy smoking or alcohol use, survival rates remain a concern.

About 70% of patients with HPV-related oropharyngeal cancer survive five years or longer after diagnosis.

HPV, the most common sexually transmitted infection in the US, is known to cause genital warts, cervical cancer, and oropharyngeal cancer.

Over 42 million Americans carry a strain of the virus capable of causing disease, and more than 13 million new infections are reported each year, per the New York Post.

“The prevailing theory is that most of us catch HPV infections and are able to clear them completely. However, a small number of people are not able to get rid of the infection, maybe due to a defect in a particular aspect of their immune system,” Mehanna explained.

“In those patients, the virus is able to replicate continuously, and over time integrates at random positions into the host’s DNA, some of which can cause the host cells to become cancerous,” he added.

To reduce the risk of HPV-related cancers, Mehanna and health authorities recommend the HPV vaccine for both girls and boys.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises starting the vaccination series at age 11 or 12, though it can begin as early as age 9.

HPV vaccines can reduce the dangers. Credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty

For those who did not receive the vaccine as adolescents, catch-up vaccinations are recommended up to age 27.

Despite the medical consensus on the vaccine’s effectiveness, Mehanna acknowledged that resistance remains.

“There is a significant proportion of some populations who are opposed to HPV vaccination due to concerns about safety, necessity, or, less commonly, due to concerns about encouraging promiscuity,” he said, adding: “As always when dealing with populations and behavior, nothing is simple or straightforward.”

Featured image credit: Oleksandr Sharkov / Getty

If you’re a person who enjoys diet soda, then a revelation by a doctor might come as a concern to you.

Sitting down with a sugary drink isn’t something to be ashamed of – we’re all allowed our little treats in life.

Diet soda might not be that good for you… Credit: Peter Dazeley/Getty

When drinking these drinks is more often than drinking water is probably when the alarm bells should start going off.

However, some people opt for diet versions of their favorite soda for reasons that are their own… but it could all come at a cost.

A prominent California-based gastroenterologist, Dr. Saurabh Sethi, has shared alarming insights about the potential health risks of diet soda.

With over two decades of clinical experience and training from both Harvard and Stanford, Dr. Sethi recently posted a video on TikTok outlining four key reasons to reconsider consuming diet soda.

In the video, Dr. Sethi raised the question of whether diet soda is truly a healthier alternative to regular soda.

He then revealed several lesser-known but concerning facts about the beverage.

Dr. Sethi’s first point highlighted a stark finding regarding women’s heart health.

“First, women who drink two or more diet sodas daily face a significantly higher risk of heart attack and stroke,” he said.

This statement is backed by a 2019 study from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association.

According to CNN, the study linked artificially sweetened drinks to a higher risk of heart disease and stroke, particularly in women over 50.

Surprisingly, the risk was highest among women with no prior history of heart disease or diabetes.

It might be time to switch to water. Credit: Virojt Changyencham/Getty

The second risk Dr. Sethi discussed was related to kidney health.

“The high phosphorus content in diet sodas can contribute to chronic kidney disease,” he explained.

Dr. Sethi also warned about diet soda’s potential effect on gut health.

“Diet sodas can negatively impact insulin sensitivity and disrupt gut microbiome,” he said.

Good gut health plays a critical role in digestion, immunity, and overall well-being.

Disruptions to the gut microbiome, which consists of trillions of beneficial bacteria, can make the body more susceptible to disease.

Lastly, Dr. Sethi explained how diet sodas may lead to overeating.

“Diet sodas can increase cravings for high-calorie foods, disrupting appetite control,” he noted.

A 2021 study published in JAMA Open Network supports this claim.

Researchers found that sucralose – a common artificial sweetener in diet sodas such as Pepsi One and Diet Mountain Dew – can heighten appetite by triggering stronger neural reward responses in the brain.

This could lead to increased consumption of unhealthy, high-calorie foods.

Dr. Sethi concluded his warning by emphasizing the lack of health benefits in diet sodas: “Ultimately, diet sodas offer no nutritional benefits.”

As always, enjoy things in moderation!

Featured image credit: Virojt Changyencham/Getty

A doctor has revealed how someone can tell that they are self-pleasuring themselves too much.

No-nut November is just around the corner, so many men are gearing up to go a month without ejaculating.

Too much self-pleasure can be a bad thing. Credit: Djavan Rodriguez/Getty

Self-pleasure can offer benefits such as stress relief, improved sleep, and enhanced mood.

However, there are downsides to it as well, as some people can overdo it when it comes to having a bit of personal time.

I’m sure we’re all aware that people can become addicted to adult films, but how do we know when it’s really getting out of hand?

According to psychosexual therapist Chris Brett-Renes, it only becomes a concern when it starts affecting daily life, via Healthymale.org.

Brett-Renes compares problematic m*sturbation to substance abuse, noting: “It becomes problematic when it impacts aspects of your life, your income, and your relationships.”

Self-pleasure is beneficial in moderation. Credit: Vuk Saric/Getty

He also cautions against using it as a way to manage stress or anxiety, as this can indicate deeper issues.

“If a guy was m*sturbating every day for five to 10 minutes and he’s having sex with his girlfriend that night, that might impact being able to reach orgasm, but it’s not an issue,” Brett-Renes explains. “If he’s using it to deal with stress or anxiety, that’s an issue.”

He further warns that excessive habits – such as spending hours online – can be detrimental: “If someone was logging onto Po*rnhub at 11:00PM and m*sturbating until 4:00AM and having to go to work the next morning, and it’s impacting their work, that’s when it’s problematic.”

It all seems pretty self-explanatory when he puts it like that.

Using adult websites can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Credit: Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty

In short, if watching adult films and pleasuring yourself is impacting other areas of your life, then it might be time to seek help.

There are other issues with too much self-pleasure too.

According to the British Association of Urological Surgeons, up to 50% of adult men experience some degree of ED (erectile dysfunction).

While this is often connected to health conditions like obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes, Dr. Donald Grant warns that PIED (p*rn-induced erectile dysfunction) may also be a significant factor.

Speaking via the Daily Mail he said: “Overall, there’s no strict rule or guideline on how much people should m*sturbate. But when m*sturbation gets out of hand, there’s a variety of ways it can impact sexual and physical health.”

“PIED is a type of erectile dysfunction that stems from an unhealthy consumption of p*rnography,” Dr. Grant noted.

“This unhealthy p*rn usage can lead to desensitization, making it more difficult for men to achieve and maintain an erection, as they’re used to more intense sexual activity seen on screen. It can lead to reduced interest in sex with actual partners as men prioritize p*rn and m*sturbation instead.”

When self-pleasure impacts daily life, it’s time to seek help. Credit: Westend61/Getty

Dr. Grant also highlighted the potential physical consequences of compulsive m*sturbation, particularly reduced sensitivity in the genital area.

“Compulsive m*sturbation can lead to reduced sensitivity in the genital area, making it more difficult to achieve sexual pleasure or stimulation,” he said.

This loss of sensitivity, Dr. Grant explained, occurs when nerve endings become damaged from overactivity, and it can be worsened by rough handling, which may cause friction damage. Fortunately, this condition is usually temporary.

“Taking breaks or using lubricants can help restore sensitivity,” he advised. “And there are a range of treatments available to men struggling with ED, helping them manage a healthy sex life and achieve erections with ease.”

Featured image credit: Westend61/Getty

A man has opened up about his experiences of what he saw and heard when he was in a coma.

There are a few things to fear in this world, and being in a coma is arguably one of the scariest things.

If it was one long sleep and you have no recollection of it, then it wouldn’t be so bad.

Being in a coma isn’t on anyone’s to-do list. Credit: Cavan Images / Raffi Maghdessian/Getty

But these stories of people being mentally aware of what was going on around them send a shiver down my spine.

With that being said, let’s take a look at one of these stories.

Travis Shreeve, an accountant who had gained weight due to a sedentary lifestyle during the pandemic, saw his health rapidly decline after contracting Covid-19.

This ultimately led to his hospitalization and a life-changing experience, per the International Association for Near-Death Studies.

Travis was at home preparing to leave for a hospital appointment when he began experiencing severe breathing difficulties.

As his condition worsened, he told his wife to call an ambulance before collapsing in their hallway.

Recalling the events leading up to his hospitalization, Travis mentioned remembering “little bits” of the journey to the hospital.

Soon after, he fell into a coma.

Travis was in a coma for 10 days. Credit: Witthaya Prasongsin/Getty

During his time in the coma, Travis revealed that he was far more conscious than he had expected. “I was seeing the nurses come in, I was very aware of them,” he said.

“They were coming in, and they wouldn’t talk to me, they were just ignoring me and I felt that something was dangerously wrong.”

Speaking on the Prioritize Your Life podcast with Wesly Lapioli, Travis described his 10-day coma as feeling like “three months.”

“It was the most terrifying thing of my life times 10. I was fighting to breathe,” he explained. “I fought, and I fought, and I fought to breathe, and there was a point where I felt such exhaustion that I felt like this is my last breath.”

But as his body reached its limit, Travis found himself in a place he described as completely different from Earth.

“It was beautiful, it was white, it was clean,” he said. “The thing that told me that this was not Earth was that it was so clean, everything was just flawlessly clean.”

This surreal location allowed him to completely forget the crisis he was facing in real life.

During the podcast, Travis shared more about his experience, including an interaction with two mysterious individuals.

“I knew there were two people, I don’t know why I knew there was a second person because I didn’t see a shadow, I didn’t hear anything, I just knew there were two,” he said.

One of these figures was a woman Travis felt a deep connection with. She reassured him, telling him that “everything [was] going to be okay.”

According to Travis, the woman communicated in a way that felt like “downloaded information,” making him believe she had intervened on his behalf.

“She somehow intervened on my behalf,” he said, adding that while he wasn’t sure if she influenced a doctor’s decision or made a plea to a higher power, he was certain she played a role in his survival.

After this profound experience, Travis awoke back in the hospital but felt confident that the woman had “found a way out” for him.

“One last time, I was shown an image. It’s like I wasn’t allowed to fully remember the image, but there was my family and there were a couple other individuals,” he recalled.

“She spoke to me one more time. This was my only moment of peace in the hospital, and she said, ‘Everything is going to be okay, we will be whole again,’ and I felt something special about that.”

Despite Travis’s experience being mainly positive, it still terrifies me.

Featured image credit: Cavan Images / Raffi Maghdessian/Getty

A man who has a “two-inch penis” has opened up about his struggles, including how his wife first responded.

There are some things in life that a man has very little power over but stresses about all the same.

The size of a man’s penis can be a blessing or a curse. Credit: RapidEye/Getty Images

One of which is his hairline – which causes a great deal of stress – and the other is the size of his manhood.

While most people go through life generally fitting in the average range, some men, unfortunately, fall a bit short of the usual numbers.

One man has taken to Reddit to explain his dilemma of having a penis that measured just two inches.

Cited by the Daily Mail, the man posted in the popular “Ask Me Anything” thread, writing: “I have a two-inch penis. Ask me anything.”

During the conversation, he clarified that his measurement referred to his size when erect.

When asked about his most uncomfortable experience, he recalled an encounter with a woman he met at a bar.

“I met this smoking hot girl at a bar once and she wanted to just do it right there in the bathroom,” he shared. “Well being drunk and what not, I was like ‘OK let’s go’.”

The situation quickly became awkward.

The man has a two-inch penis when erect. Credit: SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY/Getty

“We got down to it, kissing, touching and everything, and when it came time for her to bl*w me, I couldn’t get hard,” he continued. “Not that being hard would have been impressive, but at least it would have grown lol.”

The encounter ended abruptly. “She ran out and told all her friends and I could hear it from the bathroom. Basically walking out of that door hanging my head was the most embarrassing thing ever,” he recalled.

Despite such difficult moments, the man revealed that he is now happily married and his wife has never made an issue of his size.

“I’d say the best experience honestly was with my wife,” he said. “How she didn’t even care, didn’t even mention it, didn’t even worry about it. I had to be the one to say something, she was so understanding and so sweet about it all.”

The average penis is said to be around 5 inches. Credit: Tuomas A. Lehtinen/Getty

Users on Reddit were curious about how he managed to maintain his confidence despite societal pressures.

“At the end of every day, what matters to you?” he wrote in response. “Your family, your kids, your wife, your health, correct? Not the size of the thing you urinate from.”

He offered advice to others struggling with similar insecurities: “If anyone reading this struggles with this insecurity, understand that the heart is what matters. Looks fade, money comes and goes, life goes on. Be happy with who you are. This is your life, you live it, you lead it, you control it.”

Featured image credit: RapidEye/Getty Images

Doctors have discovered a man who was born with three penises, making him the second-ever recorded case.

According to Medical reports, around one in every five to six million male babies are estimated to be born with Diphallia – a rare genetic condition that occurs when an infant is born with a duplication of the penis.

Triphallia, which had only been recorded once before in medical literature, is an even rarer anomaly and it causes a male baby to have three distinct penile shafts.

A man from Birmingham has been reported to have Triphallia. Credit: Tuomas A. Lehtinen / Getty

The Journal of Medical Case Reports revealed that a 78-year-old man has become the second person in history to be born with a rare birth defect.

The discovery was made after the unnamed individual from Birmingham donated his body to science after his death. It is suspected he may have gone his whole life without being aware of his “remarkable anatomical variation,” per Daily Mail.

Researchers from the University of Birmingham Medical School said the rare condition could have caused him some problems.

“These penile morphological abnormalities may not have been identified during his life. However, he may have lived with functional deficits due to the abnormal anatomy of the region, which may include urinary tract infections, erectile dysfunction, or fertility issues,” the team added, cited by Manchester Evening News.

The unnamed individual donated his body to science after his death. Credit: Asia-Pacific Images Studio / Getty

According to the publication, the patient – who was a white male around 6 feet tall and of a medium-large build – was dissected by students in Birmingham.

They found that he appeared to have normal genitalia during the examination, however, on closer inspection they saw that there were two smaller penises within his scrotal sac. One was connected to the same urethra as the main penis.

“Without dissection, this anatomical variation would have remained undiscovered, suggesting the prevalence of polyphallia may be greater than expected,” researchers said, per The Independent.

“Despite normal appearance of external genitalia on examination, the dissection of a 78-year-old white male revealed a remarkable anatomical variation: two small supernumerary penises,” they added.

Researchers noted that the third penis, the smallest one in his scrotal sac, lacked a urethra. They added that because of this, the man may have lived with “functional deficits” such as erectile dysfunction, fertility issues, or urinary tract infections.Scientists say the results from the examination shed light on the rare genetic condition. Credit: SimpleImages / Getty

Scientists say the results from the examination shed more light on the clinical importance of this anomaly.

The team disclosed that polyphallia – which means having numerous penises – may be more common than realized.

“As the inferior two penises were concealed within the scrotal sac, external genitalia appeared normal. This may explain why the abnormality was not observed until post-mortem exploration,” the team reportedly said, per Manchester Evening News.

“Without any symptoms and additional medical needs, concealed internal penises may not present themselves, preventing diagnosis. Hence, polyphallia may be more prevalent than currently understood,” they added.

Scientists have urged healthcare workers to be aware of polyphallia when examining patients.