Almost 100 years
ago, medical researches started address the functions of the human body when
rising up in high altitudes, and the effect of being at high atmosphere. Aero- and space medicine gives so much
details of this issue, in which the dyspnea is explained in two main causes:
1-
Less oxygen rates in high altitudes.
2-
Decrease of air pressure.
The more we rise up from the surface of the earth, the more the air pressure decreases, thus leading to decrease of the rate of air passage through alveoli pulmonis to blood. Decrease of air pressure also leads to distention of gases in stomach and intestines that push the diaphragm upwards, thus pressing over and obstructing the extension of lungs.
Stages of the
symptoms of oxygen shortage phenomena:
These are divided
into four stages that relate to air pressure and the level of altitude and the
rate of oxygen concentration in blood.
1- The stage of non alteration, i.e., from the level of sea to an altitude of 3 km. In this stage, the symptoms of oxygen shortage are not present and sight is not affected at day time.
2-
The stage of physiological
adjustment, i.e., from an altitude of 3 km to 5 km. Body systems function in
this stage in such a way that will not let the symptoms of oxygen shortage
appear, unless the period of exposing to such a shortage is elongated, or the
person exerts physical effort in such conditions. In that case, rates of
respiration, pulse, blood pressure and circulation increase in number and depth.
3-
The stage of physiological
disturbance, i.e., from an altitude of 5 km to 8 km. In this stage, body systems, particularly the
lungs, cannot afford to function properly or supply the quantity of oxygen
needed by tissue sufficiently. Hence the
symptoms of oxygen shortage appear. In this stage, a clear explanation is
established for man’s feeling of exhaustion, headache, feeling like to sleep,
dyspnea and chest tightness when rising up in high altitudes. As a result of air pressure decrease, all air
comes out of lungs and alveoli pulmonis, reducing the size of lungs and chest
(i.e., the chest becomes really tight).
4- The stage of chest tightness, i.e., from an altitude of 8 km upwards. In this stage, man loses consciousness totally due to the failure of the nervous system, and condition becomes critical.
4- The stage of chest tightness, i.e., from an altitude of 8 km upwards. In this stage, man loses consciousness totally due to the failure of the nervous system, and condition becomes critical.
The higher the man climbs up in sky the
less is the oxygen
The Quran which was revealed fourteen centuries ago to Prophet Mohammed
(PBUH)
states:
“Whomsoever Allah desires to
guide, He expands his chest to Islam; whomsoever He desires to lead astray, He
makes his chest narrow, tight, as if he were climbing up to the sky.”
(6:125)
{فّمّن يٍرٌدٌ اللَّهٍ أّن يّهًدٌيّهٍ يّشًرّحً صّدًرّهٍ
لٌلإسًلامٌ
ومّن يٍرٌدً أّن يٍضٌلَّهٍ يّجًعّلً صّدًرّهٍ ضّيٌَقْا حّرّجْا
كّأّّنَّمّا
يّصَّعَّدٍ فٌي السَّمّاءٌ} (الأنعام:125)
Thus, this verse displays a
miraculous similitude when presenting a scientific fact in a very
eloquent and accurate style. Points of
the miracles of this verse are:
1-
When people first heard of the
verse of man’s climbing to sky (space) , they considered it as a sort of imagination,
and that Quran regards the ascension to space in a metaphorical manner. Actually the verse is a prophecy that came
true centuries after it was first revealed.
2-
The similitude is very accurate,
as climbing to high distances in the air causes chest tightness and the feeling
of suffocation. The more the ascension
increases, the more tightness reaches so critical and difficult stage that
respiration is not possible any more. That’s why oxygen cylinders are taken when
ascending up the sky, as in space ships !
This
refers to breathlessness or "air hunger" due to the decreased quantity
of oxygen available at high altitude. This is an accurate yet surprising
statement, because high mountain climbing, air travel, etc. were not
available at that time.
Quran tells it about 1400 years ago. However, Science discovered
Oxygen in 1774 by Swedish pharmacist Carl Wilhelm and Joseph
Priestley.
After this more research was done on Oxygen and it was found out that the level of Oxygen above sea-level decreases as person get high. It should be noted that to tell that there is less Oxygen above sea level, Oxygen Gas was first to be discovered. Same early and late research includes
1- In the 1500 Leonardo da Vinci observed that a fraction of air is consumed in respiration and combustion.
(Mary Elvira Weeks, The discovery of the elements. IV. Three important gases., J. Chem. Educ., 1932, 9 (2), p 215.)
2- In 1665 Robert Hooke noted that air contains a substance which is present in potassium nitrate [potassium nitrate releases oxygen when heated,] and a larger quantity of an unreactive substance [which we call nitrogen].
(Mary Elvira Weeks, The discovery of the elements. IV. Three important gases., J. Chem. Educ., 1932, 9 (2), p 215.)
3- In 1668 John Mayow wrote that air contains the gas oxygen [he called it nitroarial spirit], which is consumed in respiration and burning.
( John Mayow, Tractatus Quinque Medico-Physici, 1674, Online Book.)
After this more research was done on Oxygen and it was found out that the level of Oxygen above sea-level decreases as person get high. It should be noted that to tell that there is less Oxygen above sea level, Oxygen Gas was first to be discovered. Same early and late research includes
1- In the 1500 Leonardo da Vinci observed that a fraction of air is consumed in respiration and combustion.
(Mary Elvira Weeks, The discovery of the elements. IV. Three important gases., J. Chem. Educ., 1932, 9 (2), p 215.)
2- In 1665 Robert Hooke noted that air contains a substance which is present in potassium nitrate [potassium nitrate releases oxygen when heated,] and a larger quantity of an unreactive substance [which we call nitrogen].
(Mary Elvira Weeks, The discovery of the elements. IV. Three important gases., J. Chem. Educ., 1932, 9 (2), p 215.)
3- In 1668 John Mayow wrote that air contains the gas oxygen [he called it nitroarial spirit], which is consumed in respiration and burning.
( John Mayow, Tractatus Quinque Medico-Physici, 1674, Online Book.)
N.B:
Breast = , ثدي, Chest = صدر ,Some translators mistranslated the word صدر by breast instead of chest.
Related topics:
http://seekingoftruth.wordpress.com/2013/02/18/the-contraction-of-the-chest-when-ascending-altitude-as-predicted-by-the-quran-1400-years-ago/
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