Medical Myths: Fact or Fiction
Part 1

There are a lot of medical myths that everyone has heard them before. These myths usually come from grandmothers. You may be a firm believer or may think most medical myths are just tools mothers use to frighten their children. Here are some of the myths and what doctors say about them.

Myth: Chocolate causes acne.

Fact: "Acne is not caused by the foods you eat," according to dermatologist Dr. Kitha Griffin. Of the roughly 80 percent of teenagers who suffer from acne, hormones are to blame, said Chris Rosenbloom, head of the nutrition department at Georgia State University. Griffin adds that genetic predisposition also plays a role.

Myth: Tilting your head back will stop a nosebleed.

Fact: Dr. Susan Nelson exposes this as just an issue of gravity. Tilting your head back won't stop a nosebleed, but just keeps blood from running "downhill," says Nelson, of the Ochsner Clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She recommends tightly pinching the nose as the best way to stop a nosebleed.

Myth: Too many carrots will turn skin orange.

Fact: It can happen, but you would have to eat a lot, said Chris Rosenbloom, chair of the nutrition department at Georgia State University. In fact, you would probably have to start chugging carrot juice to get that orange glow. The phenomenon is called hypercarotenemia and the orange tint shows up mostly in the palms of the hands. Never fear, Rosenbloom said. This happens because the body does not use all of the beta-carotene from carrots and the resulting skin discoloration is harmless.

Myth: Eating sugar causes diabetes.

Fact: Well, not directly, according to Chris Rosenbloom, head of Georgia State University's nutrition department and spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. But sugar can make you fat, which can make you susceptible to diabetes. "Excess sugar intake can lead to excess calorie intake and obesity is a very strong risk factor for Type 2 diabetes," Rosenbloom explains

Myth: Knuckle-cracking causes arthritis.

Fact: Cracking your knuckles will not cause arthritis per se, according to internist Dr. Susan Nelson of the Ochsner Clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. But "repetitive motion wears down the joints and their protective cushioning," she cautions. So the habit could worsen osteoarthritis but plays no role in rheumatoid arthritis, which is caused when a person's own immune system attacks joints.

Myth: Standing on your head cures hiccups.

Fact: "There are a million cures for the hiccups, not one of which is very effective," concedes Dr. Susan Nelson of the Ochsner Clinic in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Hiccups are caused by spasms in the diaphragm, a big muscle that lies under the lungs and helps us breathe. Sooner or later, a muscle will fatigue and relax. "The diaphragm is never completely relaxed or we would have trouble breathing," adds Nelson.

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Khorsheed.com - Feb 2003