5 Shocking Health Stories: Orgasms, Pets Using Cannabis and HIV - Dispatch Weekly

This week sees a surprising mix of health news developments including: how socks can increase orgasms, a new HIV drug in the U.K. and cannabis for pets. Here’s our most scintillating and shocking selection.

#1 Wearing Socks Could Increase Your Chances of Orgasm

Researchers at the University of Groningen have discovered that 80 percent of couples reached orgasm whilst wearing socks comparing to only 50 percent of those without socks.

The study scanned the brains of 13 women and 11 men while they were having sex. Those who wore socks were more likely to achieve orgasm.

Feeling safe was one explanation of why this occurred. Professor Gert Holstege said women could feel better with socks on since when you are fearful, “it’s very hard to have sex, it’s very hard to let go.”

“When you want to make love to a woman, you must give her the feeling of being protected.”

Keeping your feet warm helps blood vessels to dilate, which gives the brain a signal that it is time to go to sleep. It also increases blood flow, helping with relaxation and the bodily conditions to orgasm more easily.

#2 Medical Marijuana for Pets is Becoming More Popular in Toronto

Medical marijuana has been a topical subject in the US, with four states including California voting to legalize cannabis on November 8. The total is now at eight including: Alaska, California, Colorado, Oregon, Massachusetts, Maine, Nevada and Washington.

Canada first made medical cannabis legal in 1999 but there is currently no clear protocol or rules for pets.

The Pacifico dispensary sells CBD products for pets, providing the owner has proper documentation of the pet’s illness.

There are two California-based companies who are using CBD, a non psychoactive which helps to ease pain.

A VETCBD testimonial said that their pet known as “attack cat” or “psycho kitty” experienced back pain before trying CBD, which decreased pain, allowing the cat to eat better and become more comfortable around people.

PETA have supported medical marijuana for pets, stating on their website that owners should “explore alternative treatments to ease pain and suffering.”

#3 VR, Joy, Is Being Tested To Reduce Patient Loneliness

Joy, a VR experience built by Australian VR Company Liminal, is being used on patients by clinicians to help eradicate loneliness for long-stay patients at hospitals.

The experience includes cartoons that sit around a campfire where the user can choose a story from a book, allowing the character to read it aloud to the user.

The test with patients has started in Melbourne, Australia, at Brunswick Private Hospital for bed-bound patients who had a limited range of movement and interaction opportunities.

Mobile VR was chosen over larger room scale VR for comfort and practicality.

Sami Yamin, neuroscientist and head of research at Liminal said, “I think VR is going to have a massive impact on the medical profession.”

“Assessment and early diagnosis, to rehabilitation and on-going recovery and pain management.”

#4 Negative Moods Can Increase Academic Success

A new study published in Developmental Psychology by Concordia University in Montreal found that occasional bad feelings could improve student’s academic success.

The study by Erin Barker, professor of psychology in Concordia’s Faculty of Arts and Science discovered that students who had occasional negative moods but were happy overall during the four years of university had the highest GPAs at graduation.

Those that had high levels of negative moods and low levels of positive moods had the lowest GPAs, meaning that depressive disorders negatively effect results.

The study worked with 187 students in the first year all the way through the final fourth year, chronicling their grades and moods.

The study shows how positive and negative moods are necessary in success. Barker said, “If you’re a generally happy person, negative emotions can be motivating.”

“They can signal to you that there is a challenge that you need to face. Happy people usually have coping resources and support that they draw on to meet that challenge.”

#5 A Drug that Reduces the Risk of HIV Given to Patients in U.K.

Last summer the U.K. National Health Service (NHS) lost a court battle, arguing that responsibility for paying for HIV treatments should fall on local authorities.

Currently, 10,000 people will be allowed to take the “Prep” drug in a three-year clinical trial, before being more widely available.

The cost of the drug is £400 a month per person, with trials claiming that it can cut the risk of getting HIV by 86 percent.

Prep, stands for Pre-exposure prophylaxis, a pill that is taken daily and disables HIV before infection.

Men having sex with other men are those at greatest risk of contracting HIV.