Goosebumps are a vestigial reflex caused by stiffening of muscles, making body hair stand upright. They occur due to cold or fear and are triggered by the autonomic nervous system. They are not a cause for alarm but may be associated with certain medical conditions.
Goosebumps are small bumps on the skin caused by stiffening of the muscles, which causes body hair to stand upright. In humans, these bumps are a vestigial reflex, left over from a time when humans had more hair; a wide variety of animals demonstrate this interesting reflex in response to certain stimuli. Many people have experienced goosebumps at some point in their lives and some may have wondered why they appear.
There are two main reasons why goose bumps occur: cold and fear. In animals that actually have fur, standing up individual hairs in cold weather is a sensible course of action, as erect hairs can trap air, adding a layer of insulation to protect the animal from the cold. In the case of fear, goosebumps in an animal with fur would make the animal appear larger, potentially intimidating the threatening animal, giving it a chance to run or fight.
The medical term for this reaction is cutis anserina, and the term “horripilation” is sometimes used to refer to the act of raising goosebumps. This reflex is part of the body’s “fight or flight” system, which means it’s completely involuntary. It is triggered by a signal from the autonomic nervous system, which tells the muscles around the hair follicles to tighten, pulling the hair up and creating a characteristic tight nodule. They’re common on the arms and legs, but technically, goosebumps can appear anywhere, including on the face, scalp, and chest.
A number of colorful slang terms are used to refer to goosebumps, including goosebumps, goosebumps, chills, and chicken skin. The abundance of avian slang is a reference to the skin of plucked geese and chickens, which often has a similar raised pattern. Since birds don’t actually have hair, geese technically don’t get goosebumps.
As a general rule, goosebumps aren’t a cause for alarm, although the situation that’s causing them could be a potential cause for concern. However, they are sometimes associated with certain medical conditions, especially those involving the brain, so someone suffering from them a lot or for no apparent reason may want to see a doctor. They are also common in people experiencing drug withdrawal.
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