Is it possible to die from laughter

Science has been repeatedly proventhat laughter is good for health. It improves immunity, and reduces stress, and promotes the production of endorphins. It also reduces the likelihood of cardiovascular disease and even helps to lose calories a little.

At first glance - a solid benefit for the body. However, laughter, like any other useful thing, has some minor side effects. In particular, you can die from it inadvertently.

Yes, there are times when the phrase "I was laughed to death!" ceases to be hyperbole.

Very strong and prolonged laughter can lead to injuries to internal organs, in particular, the heart. You laugh like crazy, the pulse jumps to indecent values, and the heart begins to work intermittently. be accompaniedLaughter-Induced Syncope: No Laughing Matter / The American Journal of Medicine all this can be coughing, urination and defecation.

The result is the so-called gelasticGelastic syncope mistaken for cataplexy / ScienceDirect fainting, which can end in death. Scientists considerAnomalous Hypothalamic Responses to Humor in Cataplexy / PLOS Onethat this is a special case of cataplexy, sudden weakness against the background of strong emotions. This disease occurs in about 1 in 2,000 people. In a special zone riskLaugh syncope as a rare sub-type of the situational syncopes: a case report / Journal of Medical Case Reports - people with obesity or heart problems.

In addition, too much laughter can leadGelastic seizures: not always hypothalamic hamartoma / Epileptic Disorders to heart attackCerebellar tumor presenting with pathological laughter and gelastic syncope / PubMed pons or medulla oblongata. Or cause an aggravation already availableCerebellar tumor presenting with pathological laughter and gelastic syncope - Famularo - 2007 - European Journal of Neurology / Wiley Online Library a person has diseases of the brain, cerebellum, heart and other organs.

Sometimes laughter is not the cause but the symptom.

For example, a deadly prion disease kuruEpilepsy and guria: The shaking syndromes of New Guinea / ScienceDirect, leading to degeneration of brain tissue, in the early stages is often accompanied by uncontrolled laughter. Because of this, it is sometimes called "laughing death" in literature.

Disease common1. Stoyda N. I., Zavalishin, I. BUT. Prion diseases / Journal of Neurology and Psychiatry. S.S. Korsakov. Special Issues
2. Mortuary rites of the South Fore and kuru / PMC among the inhabitants of New Guinea are the aborigines of the Fore tribe, who carry it by eating the brains of other infected people. Now, however, from cannibalism the tribe was weaned, but there are still cases of kuru, because the incubation period for this disease reaches 50 years.

What to do in order not to die of laughter? Well, it’s not necessary to walk gloomy, it’s also harmful. And write comedy films as weapons of mass destruction is not worth it.

EnoughLaugh syncope as a rare sub-type of the situational syncopes: a case report / Journal of Medical Case Reports monitor the health of the heart and blood vessels and play sports. And also do not overwork at the same time, do not overeat and avoid obesity. Well, be careful during the feasts, if you suddenly find yourself visiting the natives of New Guinea.