Ten Medical Myths Debunked - Part Two
This is the second Blog installment about common medical myths that I encounter in my primary care practice. When confronted by these myths, it often takes me longer to debunk them than it does for the entire medical visit. In this instance, education is much better than medication.
Myth #6: Head Lice Can Jump and/or Fly
Head lice crawl and scurry about on your scalp, but they do not jump tall buildings in a single bound or fly faster than a locomotive. Head lice are spread by direct contact with someone that has them. They can live for a very short time on objects, like combs, brushes, clothing, hats, or upholstery. Like vampires, they need blood to live, so unless they find a host head to take up housekeeping, they will die. Lice have a very short life cycle, so they do not have the time to be picky about their residence. They have to eat, breed, lay eggs, and die in the span of a month. Lice do not adhere to social barriers and will freely live on anyone's head. Although they are high on the Yuck Scale, head lice are really harmless, eating and pooping very little. When I inform someone that they (or their children) have head lice, they would rather have me tell them they have cancer. While head lice are becoming more and more resistant to the insecticides that we use on them, they can still be controlled...and cured.
Myth #10: Masturbation leads to Insanity, Blindness, and Eternal Damnation
As a collector of antique medical instruments, books, and nostrums, I have been fascinated by reading some of the home medical books published at the turn of the last century. Male masturbation has always been interpreted as a sin by many religions. Apparently, pleasuring oneself was a definite one-way ticket to insanity (and Hell). As a teenager, masturbation was linked to a decrease in visual acuity, namely blindness. Because I wore glasses since fifth grade, I was a marked boy. I didn't know anyone who was blind at that time, but I was sure he would have been a prolific masturbator -- a master masturbator. One of my old home medical texts (Dr. Foote's Home Medical Advisor, circa 1908) shows a drawing of normal testicles. Right next to it, is a drawing of testicles, resembling beef jerky, apparently ravaged by masturbation. One of the main reasons male circumcision became so popular in the last hundred years in the United States was the belief that circumcision would prevent, or at least limit, masturbation. Yeah, that worked. Masturbation may be linked to insanity - there are sure a lot of guys who are crazy about it.
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All photos courtesy of Rod Moser, PA, PhD
Myth #6: Head Lice Can Jump and/or Fly
Head lice crawl and scurry about on your scalp, but they do not jump tall buildings in a single bound or fly faster than a locomotive. Head lice are spread by direct contact with someone that has them. They can live for a very short time on objects, like combs, brushes, clothing, hats, or upholstery. Like vampires, they need blood to live, so unless they find a host head to take up housekeeping, they will die. Lice have a very short life cycle, so they do not have the time to be picky about their residence. They have to eat, breed, lay eggs, and die in the span of a month. Lice do not adhere to social barriers and will freely live on anyone's head. Although they are high on the Yuck Scale, head lice are really harmless, eating and pooping very little. When I inform someone that they (or their children) have head lice, they would rather have me tell them they have cancer. While head lice are becoming more and more resistant to the insecticides that we use on them, they can still be controlled...and cured.Myth #7: Sitting on Cold Cement Causes Hemorrhoids
This one surprised me. As a teenager, I was visiting my girlfriend. Without warning, her mother rushed out of the house, made me stand up, and she placed a few layers of newspaper between my butt and the cold cement steps. Thinking she was keeping my pants clean, I thanked her. Years later, I discovered that she was protecting me from hemorrhoids. For some crazy, ethnic or folk reason, she firmly believed that the cold, cold cement would pop out some serious piles. I am not sure who told her that myth. Since I never developed hemorrhoids, maybe she was right.
This one surprised me. As a teenager, I was visiting my girlfriend. Without warning, her mother rushed out of the house, made me stand up, and she placed a few layers of newspaper between my butt and the cold cement steps. Thinking she was keeping my pants clean, I thanked her. Years later, I discovered that she was protecting me from hemorrhoids. For some crazy, ethnic or folk reason, she firmly believed that the cold, cold cement would pop out some serious piles. I am not sure who told her that myth. Since I never developed hemorrhoids, maybe she was right.Myth #8: Acne is caused by Eating Chocolate, Eating Junk Food, and Drinking Sodas
The severity of acne is often in the mind of the beholder. As a teenager, I felt that I had severe acne. My mother informed me that it was because I ate candy and drank Coca-Cola. I believed her until medical school, when I discovered that she was just trying to keep me from drinking her Coke. Acne is caused by raging adolescent hormones that cause oil glands to over-secrete and clog. It is not caused by fast food, junk food, or soft drinks. It is also not caused by a lack of personal hygiene.
The severity of acne is often in the mind of the beholder. As a teenager, I felt that I had severe acne. My mother informed me that it was because I ate candy and drank Coca-Cola. I believed her until medical school, when I discovered that she was just trying to keep me from drinking her Coke. Acne is caused by raging adolescent hormones that cause oil glands to over-secrete and clog. It is not caused by fast food, junk food, or soft drinks. It is also not caused by a lack of personal hygiene.Myth #9: Autism is caused by the MMR vaccine
I have posted well over 200 Blog entries in the last few years, but by far, the most controversial Blog post that I have ever done involved autism and the MMR (measles - mumps - rubella) vaccine. There are some very militant, opinionated, and passionate people out there that swear that the MMR vaccine is the smoking gun for autism. Numerous, large, well-designed, scientific studies in several countries have totally vindicated the vaccine, but the Dance of Misinformation continues. Once wrong information hits the Internet, it takes on a bizarre life of its own.
Deep down inside, I feel that people have the right to not have vaccines, but I am more concerned about public health. As more and more people stop vaccinating, we will be back where we started. These are not fun diseases. Among the many complications, measles can cause meningitis and deafness; mumps can cause sterility; and rubella (German measles) causes extremely serious congenital anomalies. No one really knows what causes autism. It is not the MMR. I hope that a cause(s) is discovered. If you want to read some of those 150 plus comments, click here.
I have posted well over 200 Blog entries in the last few years, but by far, the most controversial Blog post that I have ever done involved autism and the MMR (measles - mumps - rubella) vaccine. There are some very militant, opinionated, and passionate people out there that swear that the MMR vaccine is the smoking gun for autism. Numerous, large, well-designed, scientific studies in several countries have totally vindicated the vaccine, but the Dance of Misinformation continues. Once wrong information hits the Internet, it takes on a bizarre life of its own.Deep down inside, I feel that people have the right to not have vaccines, but I am more concerned about public health. As more and more people stop vaccinating, we will be back where we started. These are not fun diseases. Among the many complications, measles can cause meningitis and deafness; mumps can cause sterility; and rubella (German measles) causes extremely serious congenital anomalies. No one really knows what causes autism. It is not the MMR. I hope that a cause(s) is discovered. If you want to read some of those 150 plus comments, click here.
Myth #10: Masturbation leads to Insanity, Blindness, and Eternal Damnation
As a collector of antique medical instruments, books, and nostrums, I have been fascinated by reading some of the home medical books published at the turn of the last century. Male masturbation has always been interpreted as a sin by many religions. Apparently, pleasuring oneself was a definite one-way ticket to insanity (and Hell). As a teenager, masturbation was linked to a decrease in visual acuity, namely blindness. Because I wore glasses since fifth grade, I was a marked boy. I didn't know anyone who was blind at that time, but I was sure he would have been a prolific masturbator -- a master masturbator. One of my old home medical texts (Dr. Foote's Home Medical Advisor, circa 1908) shows a drawing of normal testicles. Right next to it, is a drawing of testicles, resembling beef jerky, apparently ravaged by masturbation. One of the main reasons male circumcision became so popular in the last hundred years in the United States was the belief that circumcision would prevent, or at least limit, masturbation. Yeah, that worked. Masturbation may be linked to insanity - there are sure a lot of guys who are crazy about it.Related Topics:
- Ten Medical Myths Debunked - Part One
- 5 Common Myths About Pain and Pain Relief
- Top 9 Fitness Myths -- Busted!
All photos courtesy of Rod Moser, PA, PhD
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