Health Facts: Study Reveals Interesting Truths About Common Habits and Their Hidden Dangers

Health Facts: Many of us have grown up hearing myths about everyday actions like interlocking fingers and cracking knuckles. However, research by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) shows that such behaviours have no clear link to osteoarthritis or hand weakness. However, participating in this behaviour on a daily basis can result in decreased grip strength, oedema, and eventual muscular weakness in the hands, making tasks such as opening tightly sealed containers more difficult. It is best to prevent frequent joint stress and instead choose healthy alternatives, such as using a stress ball to reduce tension.

Common Myths About Ears and Tongue

Similarly, excessive use of earphones, especially at high volumes, poses serious risks to ear health. Prolonged exposure to loud music can result in tinnitus, difficulty in understanding speech in noisy surroundings, and even permanent hearing loss. Moisture and sweat trapped by earphones can also lead to fungal infections such as Candida and Aspergillus, which may harm the auditory nerve. According to a 2021 NIH study, 1.7% of the global population suffers from noise-induced hearing loss, with earphone users in noisy environments facing 4.5 times higher risk. To protect your hearing, keep volume levels under 85 decibels, clean your earphones weekly with alcohol swabs, and avoid sharing them with others. Furthermore, a lesser-known fact reveals that tongue prints, like fingerprints, are unique to each individual—including twins—and may one day function as biometric identification for opening gadgets or safes.