Ralph Waldo Emerson said that health is the first wealth, yet we often know little about our own health. With information spreading rapidly through social media, medical myths are common online. We believe these myths and even follow them, harming our health. In this article, we'll debunk several popular medical myths. It's not true that cold weather causes illness or that we only use 10% of our brains. Here are a few more medical myths.
1. «"Obese people gain weight despite eating little because they have a slow metabolism.".
This is a common misconception, unsupported by medical research. While obesity is indeed the accumulation of excess fat, except in conditions such as hypothyroidism or Cushing's syndrome, a slow metabolism is not the cause of weight gain. Weight gain or loss is influenced by exercise, genetic predisposition, certain diseases, and diet, not metabolism.
In fact, overweight people have a high basal metabolic rate (BMR), which is the minimum amount of energy needed to perform daily activities and the rate at which the body burns calories. A person's BMR is determined by factors such as age, gender, body size, and so on. If you eat right or exercise and are obese, you will lose weight. If you are thin but eat poorly or don't exercise, you will gain weight. (source)
2. «"Conjunctivitis can be spread by looking into the eye of an infected person.".
Conjunctivitis is an infection of the conjunctiva of the eye caused by bacteria or viruses, or allergic reactions to certain substances, such as smoke, cosmetics, contact lenses, air pollution, etc. Conjunctivitis is spread through exposure to one of the factors that cause the disease. Bacteria or viruses are not spread simply by looking at an infected person, as they are not transmitted by light. Physical contact, even if indirect, is required. For example, if an infected person rubs their eye and touches an elevator button with the same hand, the button is then touched by another person who rubs their eye or touches contact lenses with the same hand. Only then can the infection spread. It can also spread through sneezing or coughing. (1,2)
3. «"People with ADHD are better at multitasking than people without ADHD.".
People with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) tend to have less attention span and greater impulsivity. They are no better at multitasking than people without ADHD, as they may have "task-switching impairments." According to research conducted by Walter Roberts, Mark Fillmore, and Richard Milich at the University of Kentucky, multitasking is impaired in people with ADHD.
The study compared a group of 33 people with ADHD and 38 people without ADHD on tasks designed to test their ability to make a choice and work memory. When both groups were asked to complete a large number of tasks, their performance declined. Those with ADHD had a more difficult time. (source)
4. «"In case of a heart attack, cardiopulmonary resuscitation must be performed.".
Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) won't save a life after a heart attack, but it can help after cardiac arrest. The terms are often used interchangeably, but a heart attack and cardiac arrest are not the same thing. A heart attack occurs when a blockage in an artery prevents blood from reaching the heart, while cardiac arrest occurs when the heart suddenly stops functioning and beating. The former is a circulatory problem, the latter an electrical problem. A person can have both conditions simultaneously.
In the case of a heart attack, an ambulance must be called, as CPR will not help since the artery blocking blood flow will not be affected. In the case of cardiac arrest, CPR can help save a person's life. Calling emergency services is a priority in both cases. A person in cardiac arrest typically stops breathing or gasps for air and loses consciousness, often without a pulse. People who have had a heart attack usually retain a pulse, sweat, and experience chest pain. (1,2)
5. «"Ear candling is a safe way to remove excess earwax.".
The procedure of inserting a lit, hollow candle into the external ear canal to remove excess earwax is called "ear candling." Ear candling does not remove earwax or help with other ear conditions. In fact, it pushes wax deeper into the ear canal and can be dangerous. It can lead to deafness due to a punctured eardrum or cause burns to various areas of the face. Furthermore, ear candling leaves behind candle residue, which can lead to further complications.
According to the study, ear candling was performed on both people with and without earwax. It was found that earwax was not removed in those with earwax, while wax from the candles remained in the ears of both groups. The same study also surveyed 122 otolaryngologists (doctors specializing in diseases of the ear, nose, and throat), and found 21 cases of ear damage resulting from ear candling. (source)