There was an eye-grabbing headline in the most recent issue of the British Medical Journal entitled "Medical Myths Even Doctors Believe."
That's right: Many of the most famous medical myths are so old that even a large number of M.D.'s accept them as fact.
But two U.S. researchers set out to show them the light and set 'em straight.
Let's get debunkin'!
5 Famous Medical Myths
- We only use 10 percent of our brains.
Perhaps one of the most famous medical myths of all, no one knows exactly where this one came from, though it is occasionally (and erroneously) linked to Albert Einstein. Through the use of MRI's and other brain-scanning techniques, it's easy to see that no area of our brain is completely inactive.
- Fingernails and hair keep sprouting after you've kicked the bucket.
Actually, this is just an optical illusion. Over time, the skin of a deceased body retracts, which makes it look like the nails and hair have gotten longer, but they haven't budged.
- Shaved hair grows back faster, thicker, and darker.
This medical myth was actually debunked nearly 80 years ago in a simple comparison study. The researchers say it has persisted because the blunt head of the hair may look thicker initially. As for the darker part, sun naturally bleaches hair gradually over time, so new hair just hasn't had a chance to be exposed to sunlight yet.
- Reading in dim light permanently damages your eyesight.
I remember hearing this one back in elementary school. While doing so can cause eye strain and loss of focus, the effects are only temporary, and your perfect 20/20 will be back after a short rest.
- Turkey makes you sleepy.
This probably came up for the 100th time at your recent Thanksgiving meals. Well, next year, inform your family members that there's more tryptophan (an amino acid that has been shown to cause drowsiness) in pork and Swiss cheese than in turkey. Plus, turkey, chicken, and ground beef all have nearly equal amounts of the substance. The reason you may feel the effect more on Thanksgiving is because of the much larger portions usually consumed on Turkey Day.
2,639 views"This study was a light-hearted way to remind people that first they might believe things because they have heard them from other people, especially from experts; and second, staying current is not just a matter of adding new knowledge onto the things we already believe. Sometimes you really have to look back on things already in your head or things you already believe to be true and reinvestigate or investigate for the first time whether those things are true," said Dr. Vreeman, study co-author from Children's Health Services Research in the IU School of Medicine's Department of Pediatrics.
