Does it ever make you wonder why we do not feel our blood as it runs in every vein in our body? Or why do you not hear your stomach digest that burrito you had for lunch? Our white blood cells fight off bacteria and viruses every millisecond, yet we do not hear or feel the raging war inside us. Simple answer; our body is a wicked machine.
The human body is more powerful than you think. Our complex structure is designed with specific functions. Some could even function even when our brain stops working. If it weren’t for our body’s efficiency, every breath you take, every move you make—wait, that sounded like a song. Kidding aside, if the body is not as efficient as we expect it to be, we would feel all our internal functions run—and that’s overwhelmingly scary. Thankfully, despite the millions of actions and interactions that transpire in and outside the body in a split second, we do not feel them at all.
A-ha! There it is. To say we don’t feel them “at all” is inherently incorrect. To feel something, we need sensory receptors to react. We perceive the world around us through our sensory systems. Sometimes, even when something is obviously there, we don’t seem to “feel” it because we have been so used to it being there. But it’s not always the best way to answer why we do not feel our internal organs. Sensory receptors are primarily found in our skin. We do not feel our internal organs while they are working because most of them do not have sensory receptors. The only internal organs that possess specialized sensory receptors are our ears, nose, mouth, and eyes. Yes, the organs we use for the absolute and essential human sensory functions.
HOW COME WE FEEL INTERNAL PAINS, THEN?
Quite honestly, not feeling your internal organs is something you should be thankful for and celebrate. As mentioned above, we perceive the world around us through our sensory systems. The same system sends signals to our brain when something is internally wrong in our body. You won’t feel your appendix rapturing unless it touches or damages the tissues around it. When an internal organ reaches a certain threshold, whether in size, weight, or capacity, it moves to occupy more space. More often than not, when it occupies enough space to reach nearby sensory receptors, you can bet that you would “feel” it.
Our body is a wicked machine, not just because of its complex systems. It is so because of how precise and diligent it is when it comes to limits. You won’t feel your bladder filling up until it reaches its capacity limit. It is our body’s failsafe system. The less we cross those limits, the better our chances of having a healthy and longer life.
