Truck owners and other public transport vehicles may commonly be seen using a small black cloth on the bumpers to prevent the evil eye. Italy
The cornicello, "little horn", also called the cornetto ("little horn", plural cornetti), is a long, gently twisted horn-shaped amulet. Cornicelli are usually carved out of red coral or made from gold or silver. The type of horn they are intended to copy is not a curled-over sheep horn or goat horn but rather like the twisted horn of an African eland or a chili pepper. A tooth or tuft of fur of the Italian wolf was worn as a talisman against the evil eye.One idea that the ribald suggestions made by sexual symbols distract the witch from the mental effort needed to successfully bestow the curse. Another is that since the effect of the eye was to dry up liquids, the drying of the phallus (resulting in male impotence) would be averted by seeking refuge in the moist female genitals. Among the ancient Romans and their cultural descendants in the Mediterranean nations, those who were not fortified with phallic charms had to make use of sexual gestures to avoid the eye. Such gestures include scratching ones testicles (for men), as well as the mano cornuta gesture and the fig sign; a fist with the thumb pressed between the index and middle fingers, representing the phallus within the vagina. In addition to the phallic talismans, statues of hands in these gestures, or covered with magical symbols, were carried by the Romans as talismans.
Among them, a person with a hiatal hernia can experience dull pains in the chest, shortness of breath (caused by the hernias effect on the diaphragm), heart palpitations (due to irritation of the vagus nerve), and swallowed food "balling up" and causing discomfort in the lower esophagus until it passes on to the stomach. In addition, hiatal hernias often result in heartburn but may also cause chest pain or pain with eating.In most cases however, a hiatal hernia does not cause any symptoms. The pain and discomfort that a patient experiences is due to the reflux of gastric acid, air, or bile. While there are several causes of acid reflux, it occurs more frequently in the presence of hiatal hernia. In newborns, the presence of Bochdalek hernia can be recognised from symptoms such as difficulty breathing fast respiration, increased heart rate. Causes
The following are potential causes of a hiatal hernia. Increased pressure within the abdomen caused by:
Heavy lifting or bending over
Frequent or hard coughing
Hard sneezing
Violent vomiting
Straining during defecation (i.e., the Valsalva maneuver)Obesity and age-related changes to the diaphragm are also general risk factors. Diagnosis
The diagnosis of a hiatal hernia is typically made through an upper GI series, endoscopy, high resolution manometry, esophageal pH monitoring, and computed tomography (CT). Barium swallow as in upper GI series allows the size, location, stricture, stenosis of oesophagus to be seen. Besides, it can also evaluate the oesophageal movements. Endoscopy can analyse the eosophageal internal surface for erosions, ulcers, and tumours.