Another post (about stupid things patients say) made me think about this, I don't know if it's been posted before. But I have an elderly family member who says these things (and will not hear otherwise):
1) Having a baby at 7 months is better than having it at 8 months. My doctor told me something happens in the 8th month and if the process is disturbed it's bad for the baby. (I told her I've learned that every day in the womb is better for the baby, but she insists that's not the case).
2) Her breastmilk turned "to water" when her daughter was 3 months old and it was no longer good for her to breastfeed (I mentioned that babies go through a growth spurt at that time, but she insists, her Dr told her the breastmilk turned to water).
Makes you wonder about these docs back then huh? I know they probably did the best with their knowlege, but some people won't accept any new advice, if their doctor said it in 1940 it must be true huh? Any other favorite wives tales?
*** More importantly he can bill for curing you of pneumonia. Hard to bill for advice on a viral cold he can't cure.
:chuckle How true! Very funny thread. Ok, so my mom swears I will catch pneumonia if I go outside with my hair slightly damp!!! Even though I am a nurse she just can't stop giving me medical advise. :chuckle She swears the best cure for a cold is chicken soup and 2 asprin, the cure for pneumonia if you get it is to take 2 asprin, stay in bed with as many blankets as possible and eat lots of chicken soup and drink orange juice. I know I am repeating some stuff but it really cracks me up. I especially love it when she says I'll ruin my eyes if I sit any closer tot he TV. ( yeah, I sit at the farthest end of the living room )
Specializes in Paediatrics, Orthopeodics, ENT, General.
A dr told my mother(mind you this was recently) when you had a sore throat to go to bed with a red scarf wrapped around your neck. Same dr. told me(also recently) in addition to atb for a strep throat, when I shower to take salt and rub it on my neck/throat area like an exfoliant.
I have asthma, which is often exacerbated by an URTI. I go along to the Dr to get the certificate I need to stay off work for 2-3 days while I treat myself at home.
I couldn't get to my usual GP, 'cos he was booked out, so took one who was free. In addition to URTI & asthma, I had a sevrely swollen throat, probably step throat. My Dr's advice? Go home, put vicks vapo-rup in a bowl of hot water and inhale it! It would cure my throat and asthma in one go! Hmmmmmm:confused:
If you put warm pee in your ear, it will cure an ear infection.
Eat potato soup, mexican and drink castor oil to send you in to labor (the diarrhea may make you think you are anyway)
Tobacco on a bee sting (although i have actually tried that)
Ginseng Violet to cure thrush (my mom did that with me..turned everything purple)
Have the "soothe sayer" in the community breathe in your babies mouth to cure thrush, or any other illness...according to my mom, there is one in every town....
Oh there are many more..ill post more when i can think of them.
My mom used to carry around a box of cigarettes in her car because she is so terribly allergic to bee stings (before the advent of epi pens etc). It works.
And I have seen the gentian violet put in kids' mouths for strep throat. It works too. Looks funny, but works.
Eat potato soup, mexican and drink castor oil to send you in to labor (the diarrhea may make you think you are anyway)
There's a taqueria in San Francisco that has this burrito. If you come in at full term and eat it, and don't go into labor within 24 hours, you get your money back.
ok, this one is a little gross. i had heard a long time ago from my grandmother that the best way to cure an earache was to pour a little bit of "pee" in it!!!
my mom and grandparents always used sweet oil in your ears for ear aches and i actually still use it on my kids and grandkids.
i also use raw onions for fevers. i wrap them in a cloth and tie them around each arm and leg and around the midsection. somtimes when you remove the onions in the morning they are cooked. may be an old wives tail but when tylenol does not work the onions do. :-)
It's a middle eastern thing. They put a pigeon on the hepatitis-sufferer's abdomen and the pigeon dies. Supposedly the pigeon sucks out the hepatitis.
I wish this were true as I have a very dear friend that has Hepatits C. He has been through many treatments for this. He says at times its in remission.? Sometimes he feels very ill from the Hep C.
I hope this wasn't said yet, the thread faily long by now.... "eating carrots is good for your eyes".. and to get rid of hicups "eat a spoon full of sugar"
eating Chinese food will induce a Mom. Well, I did eat Chinese food the day before I was due (I know, I am grasping at straws) and my water broke later that night.
Pardon if this has been said, but maybe has something to do with all the MSG??
Also, I've found, and read research, that lots of "wives tales" etc. are rooted in fact. I'll see if I can't dig up some of those...
and to get rid of hicups "eat a spoon full of sugar"
This is actually sited as "the easiest and least invasive" way to cure the hiccups. The reference is "Emergency Medicine, A comprehensive study guide. Tintalli et al. American Counsil of Emergency Physicians.
So like I said in the above post...rooted in fact.
Melinurse
2,040 Posts
:chuckle How true! Very funny thread. Ok, so my mom swears I will catch pneumonia if I go outside with my hair slightly damp!!! Even though I am a nurse she just can't stop giving me medical advise. :chuckle She swears the best cure for a cold is chicken soup and 2 asprin, the cure for pneumonia if you get it is to take 2 asprin, stay in bed with as many blankets as possible and eat lots of chicken soup and drink orange juice. I know I am repeating some stuff but it really cracks me up. I especially love it when she says I'll ruin my eyes if I sit any closer tot he TV. ( yeah, I sit at the farthest end of the living room )