Some of you may have already read this in the news, but I thought I might just post these top medical misconceptions here because it's pretty interesting and changes a few things we tend to believe in. Some of them are a bit of a relief!
1. Reading in dim light hurts your eyes - There's no scientific backing for this claim. Reading in the dark can cause temporary strain on the eyes but rapidly goes away in bright light.
2. Using cell phones in hospitals is dangerous - There may be signs in hospital waiting rooms but studies have found little or no significant cellphone interference with medical devices
3. Fingernails and hair grow after death - growing fingernails and hair is a very complex hormonal task which cannot happen once you're dead. Once you're dead your skin begins to contract, which gives the impression of nails growing.
4. We use only 10 per cent of our brains - Numerous types of brain imaging studies show that no area of the brain is completely silent or inactive
5. You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day - We get enough water consumption through drinking juice, milk, caffeinated drinks and even food we eat. Drinking too much water can lead to water intoxication
6. Shaved hair grows back faster and coarser - No matter how you cut your hair, it won't change the texture or the speed at which it grows back. Leg hair may appear coarser right as it starts to grow back, but as it grows longer and is exposed to the sun it will begin to look like the hair you started off with
Vreeman, C. & Carroll, A. (2007) Medical Myths. British Medical Journal, 335(7633):1288-9
Also see Newsweek
No comments:
Post a Comment