10 Surprising Things That Can Kill You

Here are 10 surprising things that can kill you.

Well, here are 10 surprising things that can kill you.

Number 10. Caffeine. When consumed in excess amounts, the stimulant has cost people their lives. Lethal doses have been estimated to be between roughly 5 and 10 grams. That’s roughly 6 to 12 gallons of regular strength coffee.

Number 9. Spontaneous Combustion. The science is still pending on this one, but there have been hundreds of claims that individuals died after suddenly and inexplicably bursting into flames. One theory is that it’s the result of a freak chemistry shift in the body.

Number 8. Sneezing. Not long ago a UK teen suffered a fatal brain hemorrhage after sneezing six times in rapid succession. While doctors said it’s uncommon for such a thing to happen among the young, it occurs more often in people over the age of 40.

Number 7. Swallowing your tongue. It’s virtually impossible to do, but it does happen. Sadly, not long ago it was determined to be the cause of a teenager’s death. During a rugby match someone fell on the boy’s head, resulting in the rare event.

Number 6. Orgasms. If they last too long, they can apparently kill a person, as was the case with a Brazilian woman a while back. She was suspended in a state of ecstasy for 12 minutes before losing consciousness and dying.

Number 5. Loud music. Among those with long QT syndrome, a genetic disorder that comes with a predisposition for heart arrhythmia, loud music could be fatal. It’s believed that blaring sounds can set off the condition.

Number 4. Drinking water. Even pure water from remote, pristine mountain streams can cause toxicity if too much is consumed too quickly. The excess liquid dilutes the body’s nutrients, rendering them unable to do their jobs.

Number 3. Laughing. Fits of uncontrollable chortles and guffaws have a not so funny history of ending badly. Over the years they’ve been named as the trigger for asphyxiation and heart failure.

Number 2. Nocturnal Death Syndrome. Even though the phenomenon of otherwise healthy people inexplicably dying in their sleep has a name, it doesn’t have a known cause. It’s been observed mostly among young Southeast Asian males. Reportedly, it’s common for its victims to show signs of sleep terrors before passing.

Number 1. Nosebleeds. The most famous case of death by nosebleed is that of Attila the Hun, who was suffocated in his sleep by one. A more recent, and perplexing, case involved a British man whose nosebleed had stopped but was somehow asphyxiated by it hours later.

What’s the most surprising cause of death you’ve ever heard of?