Harvard Medical School Commentaries: Medical Myths
May92012
Can Coffee Really Stunt Your Growth?
Few foods or drinks have been as well studied as coffee. Research has looked at coffee's possible connection to cancer, infertility, heart disease and a host of other problems (more on some of ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr112012
Milk Myths
As a kid, I was encouraged to drink more milk. I usually resisted. I favored colas or orange juice over milk. But, as I got older, I wondered whether my health would be better if I drank more milk.... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Mar92012
'I'm Such a Klutz!'
When my daughter was 8 years old, she'd regularly bound into a room, knocking things (and people) over. She'd rumble into things much like our golden retriever. Our excuse for the dog was that he... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan112012
Do Presidents Age Faster?
Just the other day, I heard someone say that President Obama was looking old. "That job really does a number on you!" ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Oct72011
How Helpful Are Birthing Classes?
If you're going to have a baby, taking a birthing class has become routine. How else are you going to get through labor? Sure, there'll be a doctor, a nurse and, hopefully, a supportive spouse or... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Sep72011
Common Conditions with Misleading Symptoms
During their training, doctors are taught to listen to patients, ask good questions, perform a physical examination, and order the appropriate tests when needed. Good physicians take pride in ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jun82011
Does Milk Cause Prostate Cancer?
Milk is good for you, right? In general, it is. Sure, you can overdo it: 6 servings a day of whole milk has 900 calories, 48 grams of fat and 1,800 milligrams of calcium. Depending on the rest of... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May102011
Are All Steroids Bad?
It's hard to escape the news stories about professional athletes gone bad by using performance-enhancing drugs, blood doping and steroids. So, it's understandable if you think steroids are bad. ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr82011
The Pros and Cons of Medical Tests
A patient limps into my office with knee pain. I thoroughly review her symptoms, treatments and past health problems. Then I examine her. Based on this information, I suspect a tear in the cartilage... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Feb82011
Can You Get Too Much of a Good Thing?
It's important to get a good night's sleep. ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec82010
10 Osteoporosis Myths
Chances are you've heard a lot about osteoporosis. This remarkably common condition affects 8 million women in the United States. And recent advances in its diagnosis and treatment make it a... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Nov102010
Radiation and Your Health
Radiation is not something to take lightly. It can be dangerous and even deadly. ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Oct82010
His and Her Vitamins -- Smart Medicine or Marketing Ploy?
Just the other day, I saw a television commercial that posed this question:
Should a man take the same multivitamin as a woman?
... read moreCategory: Medical Myths
Sep162010
Getting a Flu Shot -- Will it Cause the Flu?
Concerns about the safety of vaccinations seem to be growing. One of the most prevalent worries is that the vaccine will cause the disease it's supposed to prevent. For the most common ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Sep82010
Arthritis -- From Myth to Fact
There are plenty of medical "myths" about arthritis:
- Cracking your knuckles causes arthritis.
- Gout is a disease of the rich and royal.
- Cold weather causes arthritis.
... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Aug102010
Do Big Voices Need Big Bodies?
Here's a question that came up over dinner the other night.
Is it true that opera singers are usually overweight or obese because their excess weight helps them become great singers?
My dinner mates... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jun72010
Gender Matters in Health
Just the other day, I saw a newspaper ad urging women to get their care at a nearby women's health clinic.
That got me wondering about the growing field of gender-based medical care.
Perhaps you've... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr82010
Mixing Antibiotics and Alcohol
Is it true you can't drink if you're taking an antibiotic?
My 23 year-old niece, Molly, asked me this question over dinner recently. Wine was served. She was taking an antibiotic for bronchitis.
... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Mar92010
Age and Arthritis -- Facts and Fiction
If you think that arthritis is something only older people get, you're not alone. Many people picture a person with arthritis as an elderly relative with bony, knobby fingers or a hip replacement.
... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Feb92010
The Organic Advantage
Imagine a new gasoline that claims to reduce future repair costs and lengthen the life of your car. Not only that, but this new gas will also improve mileage and reduce your car's exhaust pollutants.... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan72010
The Little Things We Do
When it comes to health, we all do things that serve little purpose or aren't really good for us. No, I'm not talking about superstitions (such as saying "bless you" after sneezing) or major health... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan42010
Poinsettia, Mistletoe and Other Holiday 'Dangers'
Last winter, my wife shooed the dog and visiting toddlers away from our poinsettia plants — "they're poisonous, you know." I did not know. But it turns out that the belief that poinsettias are deadly... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan32010
Vitamin Supplements: Are They for Everyone?
Better take your vitamins — they're good for you!
When I was a kid, I remember hearing these words from my mother and in TV commercials. It seemed like good advice, yet not all my friends were taking... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
Does Nighttime Noshing Make You Fat?
Perhaps you've heard this advice before: Don't eat before going to bed. ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
Consternation About Constipation
Constipation — so common, but often it is an unsolved mystery for the person who becomes constipated. Common advice is typically unhelpful, misunderstanding is nearly universal, and people rarely... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
The Myth and Mystery of Hiccups
How many times have you seen this in the movies and on television: The "drunk," slumped on his barstool, is telling his sad tale to the bartender or anyone else willing to listen. And every other... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
Does a Sneeze Mean Disease?
Got a cold? Are you allergic to something? These seem to be routine questions any time I sneeze, but they always leave me feeling somehow falsely accused — I have neither a cold, nor allergies (as... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
CPR: Less Effective Than You Might Think
Imagine your typical TV drama. A child, playing in the park, hovering too close to the pond, falls in. His parents, distracted for a few moments, soon notice that their child is missing. Frantic,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
Can You Become Immune to Medications?
If you have ever taken a medicine that didn't work, you may have wondered why that happens sometimes. There are several possibilities:
- It's the wrong medication for your condition.
- Your condition... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
The Lie of Lie Detectors
Recently, two studies announced effective ways to determine whether a person was telling the truth — one used a brain scan while the other detected heat around the face. Since you probably tell the... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
Licking Your Wounds
Perhaps it's because we see dogs and cats doing it all the time. Maybe it's because we see friends put their contact lenses in their mouths to clean them. Or maybe it just seems natural that saliva... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22010
No Match for Tick Removal
When I was at summer camp, ticks were everywhere, including on me. I was told that the proper way to remove a tick was to light a match, blow it out and touch the hot tip to the exposed part of the... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Toads and Frogs -- Friend or Foe?
The idea that contact with toads or frogs may cause warts is probably ancient — it certainly goes back at least as far as my childhood — and it may relate to the fact that their surfaces are bumpy... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Medical Myths Die Hard
When we are young, we learn about health, wellness and disease from our parents, family members and friends. As we get older, we discover more varied sources of information, including the news media,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Computer Use and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
As I type these words, signals travel from my brain to the nerves in my spinal cord, down nerve roots that supply the arms and then into smaller and smaller nerves that tell the small muscles in the... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
How Inhaling Helium Affects Your Voice
Did you ever inhale helium to make your voice sound like a cartoon character? I was recently reminded of this phenomenon while watching the movie My Best Friend's Wedding — the little brother and his... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Taking Baby Out and About
During the first few weeks of our newborn daughter's life, we took her out often — to the grocery, to restaurants, on errands. It was easy because she slept a lot, but we did get a mixed reaction... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
In Search of the Elusive Aphrodisiac: Sex, Food and Myth
As Valentine's Day approaches each year, your thoughts may turn to romance. Or, perhaps, this holiday makes you think about food. After all, the idea that certain foods can increase sexual interest,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
The Real Dangers of Lightning
Advice abounds about how to avoid injury from lightning during a storm, but much of what you hear may not be reliable.
Because being struck by lightning is usually used as a metaphor for something... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Power Lines and Your Health
The idea that living near high-voltage power lines is bad for your health has been around for many years. Illnesses attributed to power lines include childhood leukemias, other cancers, abnormal heart... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
What Are You Yawning About?
It takes about six seconds. Slowly, you take in a deep breath, exhale more quickly, stretch out your arms, contort your face, and your narrowed eyes may tear a bit. You have just yawned, something... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Organs With Plenty To Spare
In my previous column, I talked about body parts that can be safely removed in adults without having a major impact on one's health or longevity. Examples included tonsils, the appendix and the gall... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Calling in the Replacements
The number of body parts that can be created, synthesized or replaced has grown rapidly over the last several decades. That's led to predictions that, eventually, all of our body parts will be... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Breaking Down Bone Myths
A patient once told me that he'd never broken a bone but that he'd once had a rib fracture. ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
A Handful of Fingernail Myths
People seem fascinated by the fact that fingernails and toenails continue to grow after death. I'm not sure why, especially since it's not true. Maybe it's the grotesque image of the nails happily... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Useless Organs
Do you still have your appendix? How about your tonsils? Operations to remove various parts of the body are common. But they raise an important question: Aren't those body parts there for a reason?... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec132009
Yikes, Lice!
I have to admit it. For the longest time, I bought into the myth that an infection with head lice was a clear sign of poor personal hygiene. I learned – or maybe I assumed – it was a problem limited... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec82009
Goosebumps
They go by different names: goosebumps, goose pimples, goose flesh, and my personal favorite, goose bumples. They resemble goose skin after the feathers are plucked.
The medical terms for goosebumps... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Nov102009
Menstrual Synchrony
I remember hearing in college that women who live together develop "menstrual synchrony" — their menstrual cycles somehow change to match those of other women around them.
There's debate if menstrual... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Sep82009
What Makes a Good Doctor?
Seeing a doctor for the first time is a bit like going out on a blind date: There's no guarantee that even a highly recommended doctor will be right for you.
One reason — perhaps the biggest reason... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Sep72009
Getting a Flu Shot -- Will it Cause the Flu?
Concerns about the safety of vaccinations seem to be growing. One of the most prevalent worries is that the vaccine will cause the disease it's supposed to prevent. For the most common vaccinations,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Aug112009
Praying for Health
It's an appealing and comforting thought. Friends, family and even total strangers pray for you when you're seriously ill. When you recover, you may be grateful for those prayers. But did they... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jun92009
Don't Fall for These Skin Myths
It's your body's largest organ. It protects your body from water, the sun and germs. It also protects your internal organs and vulnerable tissues that lie just beneath it. It's your skin.
Skin is a... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May262009
Advice You Can Safely Ignore About Getting Pregnant
If you're thinking of starting a family, get ready for lots of advice. And get ready to hear some partially true or flat out wrong information. Some of it is predictable — it's been around for years,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
Does Metabolism Matter in Weight Loss?
Do you know people who complain about having a slow metabolism and how they barely eat anything yet still gain weight? Or have you met people who complain about someone they know who can eat whatever... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Names and Claims
I first learned about Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) from a popular magazine that called it "Yuppie flu." I should have looked for better sources of medical information, because that term clouded my... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
Growing Pains
It seems to make sense: If a child or teenager who is going through a growth spurt complains of leg pain, it's probably just "growing pains," right? But what exactly are growing pains? And if they... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
Twelve Myths About Pregnancy
Pregnancy is a unique time with unique challenges. It's understandable to want to do all you can to deliver a healthy baby. But how do you decide what's best? Your own health care professionals can... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
How Much of the Brain Do We Really Use?
Surely, you've heard this one: You only use 10% of your brain. Just imagine what you could accomplish if you could use more. Psychics, fortune tellers and others have all used this "fact" to explain... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
The Hair-Raising Myth About Shaving
When I was a teenager, my friends told me I should put off shaving as long as possible because shaving makes your hair grow back faster, thicker and darker. So the sooner I started shaving, the sooner... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
The Mercury Myth
When I was a kid, mercury was fun. I can recall going to the dentist and being given a thimble-sized blob of mercury in a cup, which I could pick up, push around, spill onto the floor, split into... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May252009
Coffee -- Grounds for Concern?
Do you find yourself looking forward to that first cup of coffee in the morning? How about the next cup? If it's part of your routine to drink coffee on a regular basis, you're not alone.
You also... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr72009
Cherries for Gout -- Myth or Marvel?
A colleague recently sent me an e-mail asking, "Is it true cherries are good for gout?"
It was a question I hadn't heard before. I was ready to dismiss it as yet another medical myth. But, I figured... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Mar102009
Nosebleeds -- Separating Fact From Fiction
Recently, I heard a friend complain that the only tickets he could get to see the Boston Celtics were in the "nosebleed seats." His comment got me thinking:
- Why do some people get nosebleeds... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Feb102009
What Makes a Disease Real?
Doctors can be a skeptical bunch. I have colleagues who flat out deny that a condition can be "real" unless they can observe it or detect it with a test.
Yet, many physicians deal with conditions... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan82009
What Your Doctor Doesn't Know
It seems reasonable to assume that after a full evaluation, your doctor will know the cause of your symptoms. And the process itself is straightforward: If you have a problem, you go to the doctor, he... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan22009
From Ulcers To Deodorant -- Dispelling Teen Myths
Today's set of myths comes courtesy of my teenage daughter, and her friends Emma, Grace and Hannah. When her friends discover I'm a doctor, the questions come fast and furious. Sometimes I field... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Dec92008
The Turkey Coma -- Fact or Fiction?
Here's something you may have heard before: Eating turkey can make you sleepy.
The logic behind this idea is that turkey contains lots of tryptophan, a naturally sedating substance. There's just one... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Nov102008
10 Flu Myths
If you've ever had the flu, you know how sick you can be. Chances are good that some of the advice friends and family gave you about avoiding or dealing with the flu was wrong. There seems to be no... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Oct92008
Real-Time Medical Care
Medical care is often portrayed on television and in the movies as a race against the clock. In real life, however, most medical treatment can safely proceed at a decidedly slower — and less exciting... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Aug102008
The Limits of Willpower
We've all seen this scene in the movies: Someone's been shot in a war and lies bleeding on the ground. A trusted companion props him up and implores him to "stay with me," to keep talking, to keep... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jul82008
Putting the Apple-a-Day Adage to the Test
Okay, so maybe you've heard this one before: An apple a day keeps the doctor away. I wouldn't have considered this a myth because everyone knows it's not true, right? Well, not so fast. A number of... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jun102008
Can You Wear Out Your Joints?
There's a joke I heard when I first started studying arthritis: A 90 year-old man sees his doctor complaining of pain in his knee. His doctor asks him, "What do you expect? You're 90 years-old." The... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May82008
Cancer's Fine Line
"You know, sometimes cancer isn't really cancer."
The first time I heard this, just a few years after I'd completed my medical training, I was shocked. But it's true. The line between cancer and... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May82008
Exercise and Your Menstrual Cycle: Does Time of the Month Matter?
Some exercise authorities — coaches, trainers, and popular fitness magazines — apparently recommend that a woman adjust or avoid certain athletic activities if she is having her period. This is based... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
What It Means To Be 'Double-Jointed'
Remember that kid in grade school who could bend her thumb backwards until it touched her wrist? Or the one who could wrap his legs behind his head? Did they tell you they were double-jointed? Did... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Nutrients: Can You Have Too Much of a Good Thing?
You may feel like you’re getting advice from all sides: Increase your intake of calcium, iron, vegetables and water; exercise more; take more vitamins; use more sunscreen. Your doctors, your friends... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
The Myth of 98.6
It’s a fact that is still taught daily to schoolchildren all over the world: Normal human body temperature is 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. But as with most measurements, “normal” has a range. With... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Can Sex Be a Health Hazard?
Surely, you've heard the warning: Sex can be hazardous to your health. Maybe you first heard this from your parents, during sex education classes at school or from your friends. More recently, you... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Airing Out a Lung Cancer Myth
"If lung cancer is exposed to the air during surgery, the cancer will spread."
This is one myth I hadn't heard. But according to a survey published in the Annals of Internal Medicine in 2003, it's a... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
How Diseases Come and Go
You might not think of a disease as something that comes and goes. But it does happen, especially when a condition is poorly understood and has many vague symptoms. Consider neurasthenia, rheumatism... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Stomach Growling and Other Bodily Noises: Embarrassing, But a Sign of Health
It happens all the time: I’m examining a patient, his or her stomach growls, and I say, “Time for lunch?” For centuries, people have associated noises that arise from the upper abdomen (often assumed... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
The Seeds of Worry
Just the other day, I was asked if it was true that swallowing an apple seed or a watermelon seed could cause appendicitis. As a kid, I recall warnings from a neighborhood friend: Never swallow... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Can We Predict Height?
Are you happy with your height? Did you ever wish you were taller or shorter than you are? Some people dream of being a professional basketball player or a fashion model, if only they were taller;... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Groin Injuries and Your Voice
The media have portrayed the scenario hundreds of times: a male character on television or in a movie receives an injury below the belt and his voice suddenly rises. The situation may provide... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Eating and Swimming
If you were like me as a kid, you probably resented having to wait after eating — seemingly an eternity — before you could go back in the pool. Some parents said to wait an hour; others recommended... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Myths About Vision
Misconceptions about health and disease are remarkably common. Thus, it should come as no surprise that for something as important as vision and sight, medical myths seem particularly ubiquitous and... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
Is Gout a Rich Person's Disease?
It was a typical office visit: a man with joint pain, a swollen toe, and, by the end of his appointment, a new diagnosis of gout. At that point, he mentioned a medical myth that dates back to... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May72008
The Right Way To Handle a Seizure
Many people believe that putting an object, such as a spoon, in the mouth of someone who is having a seizure will be helpful in protecting the person from biting the tongue or even swallowing it. I... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May52008
A Dangerous Myth: If It's Over The Counter, It Must Be Safe
The temptation is great. The convenience can be irresistible. You don't feel well, and there are remedies for the asking just down the road at your local convenience store or pharmacy. Since you... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May42008
Worried Gray?
If you have gray hair, you may remember the first one — a wiry, unruly, conspicuous surprise. Perhaps it made you feel older, or maybe it seemed more like a badge of honor, proof of your seniority,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May32008
Circumspection for Circumcision
Consider this apparent contradiction: An estimated 80% to 90% of American boys are circumcised, yet the American Academy of Pediatrics and other health organizations find no medical justification for... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May22008
Lifting the Myth Off Hernias
My Dad used to ask me and my siblings to help him lift anything heavy, saying he didn't want to get a hernia. But is there really a link between lifting or straining and hernias or is it just another... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May22008
The Quick and Dirty on Tetanus
I can remember as a kid being chased by my older brother through our neighbor's garden and cutting my leg on a rusty nail. At the time, I figured I was doomed to get tetanus, which my brother thought... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
The Truth About Premarital Blood Testing
As if finding the perfect mate and planning the perfect wedding were not hard enough, some people discover only days before their wedding that they must have a blood test before a marriage license... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
'Whole-Body' MRI ? A Good Stocking Stuffer This Holiday?
Wondering what to give that special someone who already has everything? How about an MRI test? In recent years, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), other forms of whole-body scanning and sophisticated... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Forget What You Heard About Amnesia
Sometimes you hear or see something so many times, you think it must be true. But while watching a movie, "The Majestic," I was reminded how wrong that can be. In the movie, the main character,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
The Best Ways To Deal With a Fever
Recently, I heard the suggestion that if someone has a fever, "get him or her warm enough to sweat it out." This recommendation is presumably based on the idea that fever is good for you and actually... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
The Hazards of Bathroom Seats
Sometimes it seems that the number of ways you can get into trouble doing everyday activities is exceeded only by the number of recommendations about how to avoid such trouble. For instance, I... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
The 'Ripening' of Cataracts
The first time I heard my grandmother describe her upcoming cataract surgery, I was confused by the expression she used. She told me the right eye was "ready for surgery, but the left eye still needed... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Are You Worried Well?
Perhaps it does no good to worry, but that's exactly what many of us do when thinking about health and disease. If you have you ever tried to worry less about your health, you probably found that it... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Boy or Girl? Determining a Baby's Gender
The rather miraculous process of human reproduction is surrounded in mystery and myth. Theories abound regarding how to improve fertility, treat morning sickness and induce labor. Predicting a baby's... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
I Can't Take It! -- Side Effects, Intolerance and Allergic Reactions to Medicines
Patients commonly comment, "I can't take any medications. I seem to be allergic to everything!" Others provide a long list of medicines to which they are allergic, often ruling out any reasonable... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Doctor, How Long Have I Got?
You've probably seen this before on television or the movies. The grim-faced, gray-haired doctor delivers the bad news to a well-appearing but worried patient: “The test results aren't good — you've... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Nearing a Cancer Cure?
Everyone hopes that someday soon there will be a cure for cancer. Researchers, health care professionals, pharmaceutical companies, and, of course the cancer victims and their families all look... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Acne and the Role of Diet
The typical teenager eats junk food, stays up late and hates to get up early in the morning. These parental headaches seem to be developmentally programmed rites of passage. But for as many as 85% of... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Four Common Myths About Allergies
While allergies of one sort or another are common, so are misconceptions about allergies. Here are some of the most common.
1. "I can't take any antibiotics — I'm allergic to them all. "
Allergic... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
The Influence of Sugar on Childhood Behavior
Ask any parent or teacher of school-aged children, and there's generally no argument: high sugar intake leads to a clear change in the behavior of kids — and usually not a good one! Some have even... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Sugar's Role in Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus is a common disorder marked by the elevation of blood sugar. Diabetes develops most commonly because the pancreas is injured and is unable to produce enough insulin (type 1 diabetes)... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Whether Weather Matters For Arthritis
Many of my patients (and even more of my relatives) tell me that their arthritis pain is affected by weather. More remarkably, for many the joint symptoms precede any obvious weather change — often my... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Does Diet Play a Role in Arthritis?
Many people assume that diet has a lot to do with the development of certain diseases, including arthritis — after all, “you are what you eat.” This notion is largely myth.
While healthy diets may... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Is Exercise Always Good for You?
It is among the most common recommendations you will hear: Get more exercise. In fact, it is so commonly recommended, I suspect many people stopped listening long ago. My mother says she hates going... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
The Promise and Pitfalls of Patient Empowerment
Over the last 50 years, the relationship between doctors and patients has changed dramatically. At a doctor's visit in the 1950s, you would probably walk in with a complaint and walk out with a... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Are Beer and Wine Less Strong Than Liquor?
In medical school, I was taught to routinely ask each patient about his or her alcohol intake. I often heard this answer: "I'll have a glass of wine with dinner, but I never touch the hard stuff."... read more
Category: Medical Myths
May12008
Cramps: What They Are, What To Do
The situation is remarkably common. You're sound asleep and suddenly you awaken with a stabbing, searing pain in the calf. Relief comes only by jumping out of bed and standing up. For many, this... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr302008
Choosing Your Six-Pack: Abdominal Muscles and Pot Bellies
You've probably seen the advertisements high over Times Square or staring back at you from magazines: the male model casually displaying his rippling abdominal muscles. What you may not have seen is... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr302008
Will a Beer Really Quench That Summer Thirst?
The other night I saw a commercial in which one of the men in a pickup game of football became thirsty and called time-out. “Luckily” his friend had cold beer on hand. I wondered, “Medical myth?... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr302008
Does Bad Posture Cause Scoliosis?
Recently, my daughter went to school wearing a bathing suit under her clothes. Naturally, I wondered why! She told me she was being screened for scoliosis. She asked me if it was true, as a friend... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr302008
The '8 Glasses Per Day' Rule
From the recommendations of authoritative sources such as the American Dietetic Association, you might think dehydration is a major public health menace. Drink water, you are told — even if you are... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr302008
How Does a Myth Get Started?
My father, a retired physician, used to tell me about one of his patients who blamed his doctors for his ills: "I was fine before I came to see you but by the end of my first visit, I had high blood... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr302008
Will a Routine Physical Uncover Every Problem?
I remember a conversation I had with a patient who thought her previous doctor was "no good."
She and her husband received care from the same physician, and soon after one of his visits, her husband... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr302008
Does Food Cause Ulcers?
There you are, having pepperoni pizza, when that feeling comes over you: pressure, burning and fullness in your upper abdomen and a bitter taste in the back of your throat. To add insult to injury,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr132008
Sleep: What's Going on Behind That Shut-Eye?
Have you ever watched someone sleep and wondered what he or she was dreaming? The person’s outward appearance would never give it away: slow breathing, eyes occasionally fluttering, but mostly the... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr132008
Facts and Myths About Anemia
Have you ever been told you were anemic? Were you advised to take iron? Did it make you feel better?
Anemia is common. By some estimates, up to 30% of the world's population is anemic. It is... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Apr82008
The Myth of Bags Under the Eyes
Perhaps you've been there before: You stare into the mirror after too little sleep and looking back at you are puffy eyes surrounded by dark circles. You could swear off late nights, promise to get... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Mar102008
Testosterone -- What It Does And Doesn't Do
When you think of testosterone, what comes to mind? Macho men? Aggressive, impatient, type A behavior? Road rage? Violence?
Testosterone's role in bad behavior is largely a myth. What's more,... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan312008
Can You Really Throw Your Back Out?
Just the other day, a patient said, "I was working in the garden and I threw my back out." Then she asked, "When you throw your back out, what exactly is going out and where does it go? And how do... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan312008
Anatomy 101: Know Your Body Parts
When I first learned where the stomach really was, I was a bit surprised. I'd always thought it was just behind the "belly button" (technically, the umbilicus). In fact, it lies much higher than... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan302008
Medical Myth Prevention -- Understanding Medical News
Some nights the newscasts make it seem unsafe to eat, breathe, exercise or sit still. Yet even as the number of hazards in our daily lives seems to be multiplying, reports of treatment breakthroughs... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan302008
The Top 10 Things That Don't Cause Arthritis
Are your joints acting up because of the weather? Or is your body seeking revenge for the times when you cracked your knuckles as a kid? As comfortable as you might find these explanations for... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan302008
Is Kissing Dangerous?
"You'd better be careful whom you kiss," I was told. I was in high school and infectious mononucleosis (also called mono) was "going around." Kids missed school for a month; and everyone was told it... read more
Category: Medical Myths
Jan302008
Old Age: It's Tough, But It Won't Kill You
When I ask patients about family history, I often hear this: "I'm not sure about my grandmother; I think she just died of old age." ... read more
Category: Medical Myths
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