There are certain myths in the healthcare industry that many of us still believe. You can even ask people in the business of providing healthcare IT solutions, and they might even think that the misconceptions below are true.
But why is it important to know that these healthcare myths are just that: myths? This is so that no one will be fooled into believing that these things could help us become healthier. Avoid falling into these traps.
Myth #1: Vaccines cause autism and the flu.
Just because a parent of eight children claimed that they developed autism after they were given vaccinations for rubella, mumps, and measles, it doesn’t mean that it’s true. No scientific study has found a link between vaccines and autism. It’s safe to say that getting your kids vaccinated won’t lead to autism.
The other myth here is more believable, but still fallacious, because vaccines do have flu viruses in them. The mechanics of a vaccine is that a person is injected with dead flu viruses so that their immune system will develop antibodies to fight off the virus.
Many people believe that because of this system, they will develop the flu. But you have nothing to worry about because the flu virus that doctors use is dead. Once a virus is dead, nothing can revive it to cause further damage to anyone.
Myth #2: Chicken soup cures colds and fever.
It’s normal to think that chicken soup is the ultimate cure to any cold or fever because when we were kids, our parents gave us hot chicken soup every time we felt sick. Whenever our noses are running or our fevers are rising, our parents always give us hot soup to make us feel better.
But the truth is that chicken soup can do nothing to improve your health. There’s nothing in chicken soup that can eliminate the flu virus that made you sick. Scientists believe that the reason some people feel better after eating a bowl of soup is the placebo effect.
When people believe that the food or pill they ingest has the capacity to cure them, their bodies will automatically boost their immune system, making them feel better. It may be effective, but it’s really just the mind convincing the body to begin its healing process.
Myth #3: When their teeth start to grow, babies develop a fever.
Many people actually believe this, but majority of pediatricians say that believing in this nonsense can be dangerous. Parents who believe that their baby is developing a fever because of teething will most likely avoid seeking a doctor’s advice, seeing that it’s a normal thing.
However, a baby with a fever means that there might be an infection in the body that needs to be treated right away. So, don’t just write it off as something normal. Consult your pediatrician right away, and see if any medications are needed to bring the fever down.
Myth #4: Spicy food causes ulcers.
Spicy foods don’t cause ulcers. Rather, the bacterium called Helicobacter pylori does, as well as some medicines like aspirin and iron tablets. Consult your physician if there’s any other medicine you can take other than these.
Myth #5: Cold climate makes you sick.
Despite the fact that some people develop a fever after being soaked in the rain or getting stuck outside in the cold, those factors don’t directly make you sick. Individuals developing fever in these situations may have contracted a flu virus and therefore became sick, but it’s not directly because of the cold climate and the rain.
