Medical myths, folk remedies and prevention misconceptions
It was actually bacteria, not “bad air,” behind the plague and Black Death. If your child developed seizures, you’d turn to a neurologist, but others might seek out a shaman. And although male circumcision has long been a mainstream medical procedure, it’s rooted in ancient religious and cultural beliefs. Connections among the mind, body, nature, spirituality and medicine still aren’t fully understood. Medical folklore, superstitions and magical thinking are pervasive — and even health professionals aren’t immune. Knock on wood and check out these common-but-unproven health beliefs and preventive practices.
Cold weather, wet hair and sickness
Bundling up with a heavy-duty parka and swathing your neck in layers of scarves will definitely keep you warm in the winter. But it won’t prevent catching a cold, and neither will staying indoors in cold weather, despite what your mother may have told you. Another folk belief is that sleeping with wet hair could make you go blind or otherwise suffer. Sleeping with wet hair won’t make you sick — although you may wake up with a bad case of the frizzies.
Evil spirits cause disease
Long before the era of pharmaceuticals and brain scans, people were scared after seeing or experiencing seizures. Evil spirits were often blamed for epilepsy and other serious conditions. Such views still exist. Occasionally, parents of hospitalized kids want to try culturally based practices in addition to standard treatments, says Dr. Michael Pitt, an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Minnesota. Recently, he says, two parents whose child had seizures asked if a shaman could light a candle in the hospital room. After ensuring fire safety, Pitt gave parents the go-ahead. “The posture I took with the [medical] team was: ‘Prove to me they’re wrong,'” he says. “Sure, I know what causes seizures. Is it worth debating with this family about the right or wrong versus actually finding a way to accommodate this belief?”
Cupping and coining
Cupping — putting small, heated cups on the skin to create suction — is an ancient practice across many cultures. Meant to draw out and release toxic elements, while boosting blood flow and creating healing energy, cupping is endorsed by some celebrities and pro athletes today. Coining, a similar technique used in China, Indonesia and other Southeast Asian countries, involves rubbing a coin along the skin to create a bruise and bring “bad” blood to the surface. Circular bruises from cupping or linear coining bruises have raised red flags as possible signs of abuse among health providers who weren’t aware of these practices. Now, however, cupping is better-known in the U.S. with Olympic athletes like Michael Phelps making it trendy. “Learning about cultural humility and working across cultures is important for health care providers,” Pitt says: “A lot of the time, we are just uncomfortable with something because it’s not part of our culture, and therefore we think of it as voodoo or superstition, when the reality is, we have things that are very weird, too.”
Cleaning wounds in seawater
Using ocean salt water to clean cuts and heal wounds isn’t helpful. Beach water may contain bacteria or other germs that can infect an open wound, says Isabel Valdez, a physician assistant and instructor of family medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. Polluted river or ocean water can expose you to contaminants ranging from pharmaceutical waste to oil slicks. Recalling the disastrous 2010 BP-rig oil spill, Valdez says, “You cannot trust the water at the Gulf.” Instead, she says, it’s safer to wash wounds with warm, soapy water from your sink.
Pee or meat tenderizer for jellyfish stings
Painful jellyfish stings pose another beach hazard. Many people try meat tenderizer as a remedy, but there’s little evidence to support it. In a 2013 evidence review of jellyfish sting treatments, hot-water immersion was found to provide the best pain relief. Ice packs and hot water were equally effective for treating skin redness and swelling. Meat tenderizer and vinegar made skin appear worse. The Mayo Clinic recommends vinegar for rinsing the skin, then removing jellyfish tentacles with tweezers and soaking skin in hot water or taking a long, hot shower. Not recommended: rinsing skin with urine or seawater or applying meat tenderizer.
Skipping sunblock on cloudy days
“I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day.” That classic song line is truer than you know. Ultraviolet rays can actually sneak through clouds and cause skin damage. On overcast days, people have the mistaken impression that they can’t get sunburned. Living in a sunny area, Valdez says, patients frequently repeat the myth: “Because it’s cloudy out, I don’t have to use sunblock.” That’s not really the case. “You’re still getting exposed to the rays of the sun,” she says. Whether it’s sunny or cloudy outdoors, she emphasizes, “It’s important to wear sunblock and remember to reapply sunblock.”
Hospital jinxes
Doctors and nurses have their own superstitions. In a rare low-key night in the emergency room, a clinician can draw glares from colleagues by daring to utter the “Q” word: quiet. The moment someone says, “It’s been a quiet shift,” many believe the ER will immediately be packed with patients. There’s also what Pitt calls the “Beetlejuice” phenomenon. Staff members are reluctant to speak the names of patients who continually show up at the hospital, he says: “Like if you say it three times, they’ll appear in the waiting room.”
Full-moon mischief
For centuries, full moons have been credited with — or blamed for — wide-ranging health effects. Births were believed to rise as the moon increased its gravitational pull, causing pregnant women’s water to break. The full moon was thought to stimulate insanity and lead to behaviors like sleepwalking. Although studies disprove lunar-health connections, many people still believe.
Healing crystals and essential oils
Crystals are pretty but can they boost your well-being? Placing healing crystals near or on your body is believed to bring physical, spiritual and emotional health benefits. Black obsidian helps you feel more grounded, carnelian regulates menstrual cycles and rose quartz releases stress and promotes emotional balance, according to the lifestyle website Goop. Similarly, aromatherapy with essential oils such as lavender and chamomile is sometimes used to enhance well-being or as a form of complementary medicine for cancer patients coping with pain or chemotherapy side effects. Although study results on aromatherapy are mixed, positive effects like nausea improvement have been seen. Don’t knock the power of placebo or a patient’s belief in a treatment, Pitt says. If proven to work, he adds, today’s alternative or complementary medicine becomes tomorrow’s mainstream medicine.
Herbal medicines and nutritional supplements
Herbal medicines and folk remedies have been around forever, but their safety and efficacy are still up for debate. Dietary supplements straddle the line between science and superstition. Although certain supplements can help some people with nutritional deficits, like low levels of Vitamin D, most people get all the nutrients they need through a healthy, balanced diet. One myth is that herbals and botanicals come from the earth and are therefore safe. “People think natural means harmless,” Pitt says. “There are a fair amount of natural medications — St. John’s wort is a classic example — that interact with other [medications].” And, as Valdez warns, you really don’t know what additives or active ingredients you’re getting from unregulated products sold online.
Lemon water superpowers
Adding lemon to your water makes it tasty (if you like the flavor) but don’t drown yourself in lemon water. According to celebrity hype and research hints, lemon water can prevent dehydration, moisturize skin, improve digestion and promote weight loss. “If I start the day with lemon water, it will rev up my metabolism,” many patients tell Valdez. “My concern would be if you were to drink too much lemon water to the point where the concentration is too acidic,” she says. “If you have a propensity for gastritis or you had a stomach ulcer, taking in too much will actually irritate your stomach more.” When it comes to rehydrating on a hot day, she says, plain water is your best bet. The worst fluids? Beer and soda are actually dehydrating, she warns.
Copper bracelets and magnets for arthritis
Just a few years ago, copper bracelets were all the rage for people coping with arthritis. Magnets were also believed to have anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving properties. That’s been largely debunked, including a double-blind, randomized study published in September 2013 in the journal PLOS One. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly assigned to wear either copper bracelets or magnetized or demagnetized wrist straps. Physical function, pain, inflammation and disease activity were no different regardless of the patient’s device.
Magic pills and potions
Kids love magic, so it’s great that Pitt is a practicing magician as well as a physician. “Kids think in magic rather than cause and effect,” he says. “Physicians can leverage that when working with kids.” In pediatrics, he says, a lot of healing seems like magic to young patient: “You’ll take this potion and feel better.” However, magical thinking can work against adult patients looking for easy fixes, Valdez says. “There is no magic pill for weight loss,” she says. “There’s no magic pill for your blood pressure.” Every medication has side effects, she adds, and is prescribed to treat a single, specific condition. “There’s no one magic pill.”
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13 Health Superstitions to Reconsider originally appeared on usnews.com
