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Halloween is nigh, and along with the parade of adorable elves and fairies knocking on your door come some more disturbing phenomena: scary haunted houses, wild parties and, perhaps most jarringly, a new onslaught of ghastly horror films. 

If you’re not a horror movie fan, you may be puzzled about why some people love watching such movies. Behavioral researchers even coined a phrase for it: the “horror paradox.”

“No doubt, there’s something really powerful that brings people to watch these things, because it’s not logical,” says Joanne Cantor, PhD, director of the Center for Communication Research at University of Wisconsin, Madison. “Most people like to experience pleasant emotions.”

Defenders of these movies may say they’re just harmless entertainment. But if their attraction is powerful, Cantor says, so is their impact. 

Scary Movies: The Fear Is Real

Is the fear you feel when you watch someone being chased by an axe-wielding murderer any different from the fear you might feel if you were actually being chased by an axe-wielding murderer?

You’re not really in danger when the violence is on a screen. But your body does get jittery.

 When people watch horrific images, their heartbeat increases as much as 15 beats per minute, Sparks says. Their palms sweat, their skin temperature drops several degrees, their muscles tense, and their blood pressure spikes.

“The brain hasn’t really adapted to the new technology [of movies],” Sparks says. “We can tell ourselves the images on the screen are not real, but emotionally our brain reacts as if they are.”

When Sparks studied the physical effects of violent movies on young men, he noticed a strange pattern: The more fear they felt, the more they claimed to enjoy the movie. Why? Sparks believes scary movies may be one of the last vestiges of a rite of passage.

“There’s a motivation [that] males have in our culture to master threatening situations,” Sparks says. “It goes back to the initiation rites of our tribal ancestors, where the entrance to manhood was associated with hardship. We’ve lost that in modern society, and we may have found ways to replace it in our entertainment preferences.”

In this context, Sparks says, the gorier the movie, the more justified the young man feels in boasting that he endured it.

Morbid Fascination

There are other theories to explain the appeal of scary movies. James B. Weaver III, PhD, says many young people may be attracted to them merely because adults frown on them. For adults, morbid curiosity may be at play — the same kind that causes us to stare at crashes on the highway, suggests Cantor. Humans may have an innate need to stay aware of dangers in our environment, especially the kind that could do us bodily harm, she says.

Yet another theory suggests that people may seek out violent entertainment as a way of coping with actual fears or violence. Sparks points to a study that showed that shortly after the murder of a college student in a community, interest in a movie showing a cold-blooded murder increased, both among women in the student’s dormitory and in the community at large.

One popular explanation for the appeal of scary movies, expressed by novelist Stephen King, is that they act as a sort of safety valve for our cruel or aggressive impulses. The implication of this idea, which academics dub “symbolic catharsis,” is that watching violence forestalls the need to act it out.

Media researchers disagree. They point out that violent media is more likely to make people feel more hostile, to view the world that way, and to be haunted by violent ideas and images.

In an experiment, Weaver showed violent films (with stars like Chuck Norris and Steven Seagal) to college students for several nights in a row. The next day, while the students took a simple test, a research assistant treated them rudely. Those who had watched the violent films suggested a harsher punishment for the rude assistant than students who had watched nonviolent films. 

“Watching these films actually made people more callous and more punitive,” says Weaver, a researcher at Emory University’s department of behavioral sciences and health education. “You can actually prime the idea that aggression or violence is the way to resolve conflict.”
 

Lingering Effects

For some people, scary movies are just too much – especially children.

In surveys of her students, Cantor found that nearly 60% reported that something they had watched before age 14 had upset their sleep or waking life. Cantor has collected hundreds of essays by students who became afraid of water or clowns, who had obsessive thoughts of horrible images, or who became disturbed even at the mention of certain movies, such as Nightmare on Elm Street. More than a quarter of the students said they were still fearful.

Cantor suspects that the brain may store memories of these films in the amygdala, which plays an important role in generating emotions. She says these film memories may produce similar reactions to those produced by actual trauma — and may be just as hard to erase.

For more on this topic, listen to “Why We Love Fear,” an episode of WebMD’s podcast, Health Discovered.

By Jed Finley, as told to Janie McQueen

I was diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in 1994 when I was 12 years old. It’s becoming more common to diagnose younger people as doctors get familiar with AS. But there weren’t a whole lot of options available back then, so I left it untreated for a long time.

I played ice hockey and other sports when I was a kid, so I was used to being in pain from working out. In my early 20s, though, I realized there was something really wrong. My knees, hips, and ankles creaked and cracked with every step. I started hunching over, and people really started noticing. As a senior in college, my roommates called me “the old man.” It was obvious I was a lot more creaky than a twenty-something should be.

I wasn’t able to do as much as I used to because of the joint and back pain. I was a distance runner, and one day in the middle of a 10-mile run, I pulled a full-force Forrest Gump. I stopped and said, “You know what, I’m done.” I just walked home, and that was the end of it.

I checked in with a rheumatologist who knew what I had. I was lucky. It can be really hard to get the diagnosis for so many people. Unless you have the fusion of your spine on an X-ray, there’s not a whole lot of physical evidence. Even in my case, I’m not 100% fused anywhere, though I’m really close in a few places.

Mental Challenges

At first it was like, “Mind over matter.” You’re doing OK, but then … you’re not. Mentally, it’s hard living this way. To think I used to be so active — it can kind of bring you down. I’m not that old, having just turned 39. My pain is getting worse. Sometimes I feel like it’s all downhill from here. For example, I’m a special education teacher. I used to work in an autism center, which was very active. I always had to have the rule, “No lifting.” No getting down on the floor, because I couldn’t get up. I had to change my job plan and do more of a resource worker thing. Those kinds of changes were tough. So the mental side is the most draining part of AS — just realizing my limitations.

Finding the Bright Side

In 2007, I started a support group on Facebook for people who live with AS. I just wanted to make contact with other people. I’d never met anyone else with it. Today, it has 29,500 members. I also run a support group in St. Louis for the Spondylitis Association of America and advocate through lots of other organizations, like CreakyJoints. I’ve found a lot of health and therapy through leading support groups. I like to say that my AS gave me pride and purpose. It gave me that area of expertise that allows me to do so much in the community.

Exploring Alternate Treatments

I did physical therapy for about a year, and it was OK. I did core strengthening and things that take the pressure off your spine, make you more flexible, and so on, and that was good. I see a chiropractor semi-regularly, which is a real divisive issue in the AS community. But I decided to go in for a free consultation that came with X-rays. The chiropractor showed me that I had issues with my spine, not just AS. I started getting these bits figured out. For example, my hip had always been tilted. I never could lean or turn a certain way. So I got my hips in balance with chiropractic therapy, and it’s been a huge help. I’m even trying to get back into walking again.

Keeping Flare-Ups at Bay

AS is a lifelong condition, but it has flare-ups as well. The weather, with air pressure changes. Dairy, sugar. They’re all triggers. I avoid dairy 100%. I try to avoid heavy stress. I take an amino acid drink mix that helps with circulation. It cuts inflammation and clears my head of the brain fog that comes with AS. To help me relax, I like to draw, and I really enjoy writing. I write for a couple of blog sites, and that’s therapeutic. I always like to say that although lots of people haven’t heard of AS, it’s not really rare. In fact, a 2012 CDC study found 2.7 million Americans have axial spondyloarthritis, which is the umbrella classification AS falls under. The more the word gets out and doctors learn what to look for, the more people who can get diagnosed and get in treatment.

By Maura Iversen, DSc, as told to Hallie Levine

When you have ankylosing spondylitis (AS), an inflammatory disease that causes pain and stiffness in your lower back and spine, it’s important to stay as physically active as possible. That may sound counterintuitive: Why would you keep moving if it hurts to do so? But AS can get worse if you don’t. When you’re active, you’re less likely to stiffen up and have pain. As a physical therapist and behavioral scientist who focuses on rheumatological diseases like AS, I believe strongly that physical therapy is a crucial part of treatment that can be as important as medication. It can go a long way toward managing discomfort and help you get back into a regular routine again.

Support Your Spine

Over time, you may have progressive stiffness that makes it hard for you to turn your head, stand up straight, or bend. This is because AS leads to abnormal bone growth that causes the joints around your spine, hip, and pelvis to fuse together. It makes good posture difficult and can cause you to stoop forward. You may have trouble walking and fall more easily. People with AS sometimes have trouble breathing because the joints stiffen where their ribs and spine are, which limits their ability to take a deep breath.

With physical therapy, the goal is to make sure you’re actively engaging in movement around your spine. Strengthening exercises for your back and abdominal muscles do that. The stronger they are, the less stress on your spine, which can ease pain. Some of the best exercises to do include bridges and planks, but they can be hard if you don’t have much range of motion. Your physical therapist can modify, or change, exercises to make them as comfortable as possible for you. For example, if I have a client who is a parent of a young child, I may show them how to safely get down on the floor onto their belly, propped on their elbows. This sort of activity allows them to play with an infant or toddler and also stretches out shortened muscles in the back that impact pain. Other key moves are:

• Wall sits, which strengthen your butt, back, and hips
• Standing leg raises to help loosen tight hips
• Chin tucks to stretch your neck

Since AS can also lead to your spine becoming “frozen,” posture training is very important. Most of us spend our days sitting in front of a computer, which weakens back muscles and encourages us to hunch forward. Your physical therapist can work with you on exercises, such as standing up against a wall, or even yoga moves like Mountain or Child’s Pose. Range of motion and stretching exercises, which can make you more flexible and lessen stiffness, swelling, and pain, are also key. These are particularly important because patients tend to limit movement whenever they have pain and stiffness around a joint, like during an AS flare. This lack of movement can raise the risk of fusion of the joints. And when a joint is inflamed, surrounding muscles often tighten around it, causing even more stiffness and pain.

Get Physical Outside of Physical Therapy

What you do outside of physical therapy is just as important. Try to do as much aerobic exercise as possible, ideally most days of the week for at least 30 minutes. People with AS have a higher risk of heart disease, so any

activity that helps heart function is important. It also improves lung capacity, which can ease some of the chest tightness that often comes with AS. Your physical therapist can help you figure out what workouts are best for you. If you love to bike, for example, you’re better off with a stationary bike where you stay upright rather than bending over. Swimming is another great activity, especially if you do the breast or back stroke. Both of these strengthen and stretch out your neck, shoulders, and back muscles. But honestly, you can make any type of exercise work. I had one patient who loved ice hockey, so we created a routine for him at his local ice skating rink. He’d skate around with a hockey stick, passing a puck from side to side, to encourage trunk rotation.

Make Time for Relaxation

People often ask me if complementary therapies like acupuncture or massage can help. They can’t hurt, but they probably don’t do much. These types of treatments are passive, which means the therapist is doing most of the work. It might make you feel better for a bit, but it won’t actively build strength and flexibility, which is what you need to manage AS-related pain in the long run.

What does help, and what I encourage my clients to do, are meditative exercises such as deep breathing several times a day, as well as before physical therapy and exercise. These relax your entire body, including your muscles, which makes it easier for you to move through an entire range of motion. Deep breathing also helps prevent the muscles around your spine and rib cage from getting too tight, which can impact breathing. I also recommend activities like yoga, Pilates, or tai chi several times a week. While there are no specific studies on their effects on people with AS, studies on back pain have found that people who do them regularly have significantly less pain and disability than those who don’t. These have meditative and breathing benefits, too.

It’s important to remember that there’s no cure for AS. But the right treatments — including physical therapy — can go a long way toward reducing the pain and stiffness that come with the disease.

Bathing, getting dressed, and cooking can all be a challenge when you have ankylosing spondylitis. The good news is that there are many different tools you can use to make life easier. Here, four ankylosing spondylitis advocates share their favorite tools and tricks.

For Everyday Life

Canes. “It’s a simple cane with three feet on the bottom. I’ve found that when I walk up to a counter to get something off the shelf, it’s a pain to look for a spot to lean my cane against. I just let it go and it stands on its own. I also use it to walk outside when it’s icy. It’s much easier to step down off a slippery curb with this cane than a regular cane.”

–Jayson Sacco, podcast host, Port Huron, MI

Wrist brace. “I experience flares of intense pain in my wrists that make it difficult to do activities like work. I use wrist braces to relieve pain on joints. It allows me to do things I used to have trouble with, such as type.”

–Steph Di Pardo, writer, Toronto, Ontario

Custom-fitted leg brace. “I need a leg brace on my left foot. For years, I used an over-the-counter brace, but about 2 years ago, I decided to have a custom-made one fitted for my leg. It was like trading in a Chevette for a Corvette. The quality was so much better. Best of all, most of the $1,200 cost was covered by insurance.”

–Jayson Sacco

Heated car seats. “After a hard day when my hips and back ache, I really appreciate my heated driver’s seat. It helps relieve joint pain and keeps my joints flexible. You don’t have to buy a car with heated seats, either. You can install heated seat covers.”

–Jayson Sacco

In the Bedroom

A pillow with arm rests. “My bed is essentially my office. Since I am always fatigued I use my laptop there. I use a backrest pillow with arms. It also helps prevent the back pain from unsupported sitting.”

–Steph Di Pardo

A sock slider. “I have a foot drop on my left side, which means I cannot lift it to put on my socks. I use a sock slider every morning. Basically, you place the sock on the slider kit, and slide your foot in. It works with most types of socks, too. I live alone. If I didn’t have my slider, I’d walk around sockless. I also use elastic shoelaces, which turns any pair of tennis shoes into slide-in sneakers. They have them for dress shoes, too.”

–Jayson Sacco

Homemade heating pads. “I have a homemade microwaveable bag of millet that is the length of my spine. I use it to lie on or wrap around my shoulders and reduce pain and tension. It’s larger than most store heating pads, and I don’t have to worry that I will fall asleep with it on and it will burn me.”

–Marhya Kelsch, a psychotherapist in Hayward, CA

In the Kitchen

Grip aids. “I use a gripper arm with a 3-foot extension. That way, if I drop anything, even something as small as a pill, I can use that to pick it up.”

–Jayson Sacco

Nonslip cushioned mat. “Thankfully, I still have good mobility in my wrists and hands, so I can still cook in the kitchen. I’m less steady on my feet, however, which is why a nonslip cushioned mat is so great. It helps me stay stable while I putter around.”

–David Hlavac, copywriter, Minneapolis, MN

In the Bathroom

Loofah stick. “I use it to scrub my back, feet, and lower legs. All areas that I can’t bend over to reach.”

–Jayson Sacco

Shower stool. “If I stand for a period of time I’m exhausted. This way, I can sit and wash my body and shampoo my hair without so much stress on my legs.”

–Steph Di Pardo

Hand-held shower head. “It’s a simple hack, but completely worth it. I use it when I take a shower and apply the water to sore areas like my hip joints. I follow it up once I’m out of the shower with some gentle stretches.”

–David Hlavac

For Exercise and Self-Care

Hot tub/pool. “Earlier this year, I purchased a swim spa so I can do aqua therapy at home. I got a snorkel to reduce neck and shoulder strain that made it hard to do my water exercise.”

–Marhya Kelsch

A plain old chair. “I love yoga, but since my diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis, I’ve found fatigue gets in the way. Then I discovered chair yoga. I can do poses like the cat-cow stretch with some modifications.”

–Steph Di Pardo

Pressure-point massager. “These devices, which are about half the size of a walking cane, are around $30 and allow you to push on pressure points in the spine, shoulders, and back. I use it on my shoulders and rib cage near my back, where I experience the worst pain and inflammation. It helps tremendously, especially when I combine it with a topical over-the-counter heat rub.”

–David Hlavac

Back stretcher. “My 18-year old daughter, who was recently diagnosed with AS, discovered this gadget on TikTok. It provides a flexible, convex surface for stretching out the muscles in the back. I use it as soon as I get out of the shower every morning.”

–David Hlavac

Autumn has arrived, and you don’t feel so good. You can’t stop sneezing and sniffling. The return of cool weather leaves you feeling not invigorated but miserable.

What’s going on? You may have a pollen allergy, a.k.a. allergic rhinitis or hay fever. Thirty million Americans do, and symptoms typically flare in fall.

Like all allergies, hay fever stems from a glitch in the immune system. Instead of attacking harmful foreign substances such as bacteria and viruses, it tries to neutralize “invaders” that ordinarily are quite harmless — in this case weed pollen grains that fill the air from August through October (up to the first frost).

In someone with hay fever, inhaling these tiny particles triggers a cascade of biochemical reactions, resulting in the release of histamine, a protein that causes the all-too-familiar symptoms. In addition to sneezing, congestion, and fatigue, histamine can cause coughing; post-nasal drip; itchy eyes, nose, and throat; dark circles under the eyes; and asthma attacks.

Ragweed: The Prime Cause of Fall Allergies

Many plant varieties can cause hay fever, but the 17 varieties of ragweed that grow in North America pose the biggest threat. Three out of four people who are allergic to pollen are allergic to ragweed.

A hardy annual, ragweed thrives just about anywhere turf grasses and other perennials haven’t taken root — along roads and riverbanks, in vacant lots, and so on. Over the course of a single year, one ragweed plant can produce a staggering one billion grains of pollen. And it doesn’t fall harmlessly to the ground. It floats on the breeze. Pollen has been found hundreds of miles out to sea and two miles up into the atmosphere.

Given the profusion of pollen, what can you do to limit your symptoms?

Conventional wisdom says that people with hay fever should stay indoors during morning hours, because pollen counts are highest then. Not so, says Neil Kao, MD, assistant professor of medicine at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine in Greenville. “I’ve reviewed 50 years of medical literature on this, and there is simply no proof that hay fever sufferers can minimize their symptoms by staying indoors or going outdoors at certain times of day. This is a myth that even many general physicians believe.”

But  there are effective ways to curb symptoms of hay fever, including avoidance strategies and — if that’s not enough — medical therapy. Here are six proven strategies:

1. Make Your Home a Pollen-Free Haven

As much as possible during ragweed season, keep your windows shut and the air conditioner on (and do the same while in your car). “Running the air conditioner will also help remove moisture from the air, which helps prevent the growth of mold,” says James Stankiewicz, MD, chairman of the department of otolaryngology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. “Mold can aggravate hay fever symptoms.”

HEPA air filters can be helpful, especially if your home is carpeted. One per room is best, says Christine Franzese, MD, assistant professor of otolaryngology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center in Jackson. If that’s not in the cards, get one for the room where you spend most of your time — presumably your bedroom. You might also consider getting a HEPA vacuum cleaner — otherwise, vacuuming might just stir up pollen rather than remove it.

2. Wear a Mask

A surgical-style facemask isn’t going to be 100% effective at protecting you from pollen — “you’d need a full-body hazmat suit to do that,” says Franzese. But a mask can cut your exposure substantially, and is worth donning when you venture outside to garden, mow the lawn, exercise, and so on.

Look for a facemask with an “N95” rating from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). You should be able to pick one up at a drugstore or home supply store.

“I know it’s no fun to wear a mask, but it really will help you from breathing in all that pollen and mold,” says Kao. “The key is to use it properly. It should fit tightly around the mouth and nose — feel around it to make sure no air is coming in around the edges.”

3. Wash Up

Whenever you come in from outside, wash your face and hands. If you’ve been exposed to outdoor air for quite a while, shower and change into fresh clothes.

If you share your home with a furry friend that ventures outdoors, brushing and bathing it outside will help prevent pollen from being tracked inside.

4. Watch What You Eat

Because they contain proteins similar to the ones in ragweed, certain foods can exacerbate allergy symptoms. Steer clear of banana, melons, and chamomile.

5. Rinse Out Your Nose

Usingg a salt-water solution to wash pollen from your nostrils and sinuses — can be very effective at curbing hay fever symptoms. A quick spritz in each nostril is not enough, experts say. Use a neti pot or an over-the-counter irrigator.

6. Track Pollen Counts

On days when the pollen count is especially high, stay indoors as much as you can. For reliable pollen (and mold spore) counts in your area, go to https://www.aaaai.org/nab/index.cfm.

If these pollen-avoidance strategies fail to bring relief, medical therapy may be in order. Nonprescription antihistamines, such Claritin and Zyrtec, are generally the first choice for mild to moderate symptoms (no need to pay extra for brand names, as generics cost less and work just as well).

If you’re bothered by congestion as well as sneezing and a runny, itchy nose, adding a decongestant such as Sudafed should help. There are also antihistamine-decongestant combinations available. These products generally include a “D” in the name, as in Tavist D. (If you have high blood pressure, ask your doctor if taking a decongestant is OK. Some cause a potentially dangerous rise in blood pressure.)

For severe or persistent symptoms, a steroid nasal spray (Flonase, Nasonex, and so on) may be helpful. If you’ve developed a sinus infection, a course of antibiotics might be needed. Another option that works well for some patients is a leukotriene inhibitor, such as Singulair or Accolate. These medications block the release of leukotriene to help reduce inflammation and other symptoms of allergic rhinitis. If symptoms are especially troublesome, you might need immunotherapy (allergy shots).

Experts say the best approach may be to start treatment early and combine various therapies Whichever prevention strategies and medications you decide upon, don’t wait until the last minute to start using them.

If you had hay fever in previous years, says Kao, odds are you’ll have it again this year. Starting medications before symptoms appear can make them less severe and not last as long.