How about your favorite Old Wives Tales related to health?

[NurseyTonyaLPN]

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?

Tonya

[weetziebat]

The pigeon cure for hepatitis

O.K. I give up. What does the pigeon have to do in order to cure the hepatitis?

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

O.K. I give up. What does the pigeon have to do in order to cure the hepatitis?

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.

[-Midget-]

How do they get the pigeon in the abdomen?

[LoriAlabamaRN]

My mother and grandmother would never allow me to go swimming for an hour after I ate, since to do so would result in fatal leg cramps.

I also had a "very knowledgable" family member who insisted she was a nurse (turns out ten years ago she was a CNA) tell me that her mother could NOT be allowed to go more than one day without a BM because everybody knows that the stool will burst out your side and you will have to wear a bag for the rest of your life. Apparently she had seen colostomies and decided that's what caused them. Hmmmmmm.

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

How do they get the pigeon in the abdomen?

Not in. On.

[nativehealer]

Here's a couple I have heard.

For a burn, coat in mud and wrap with a wet leaf

For a minor cut, use dried crushed mushrooms to stop the bleeding

For a charlie horse, hold a piece of silver against the area that is hurting

Native

[Indy, LPN, LVN]

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.

Okay. I'd be more likely to blame bird flu if the bird dies. Eek. Go around setting infected sick birds on people's bellies. I'll tell my next door neighbor about this; she has a fear of birds.

[weetziebat]

How do they get the pigeon in the abdomen?

Perhaps more to the point is how do they get the pigeon to die? O.K. I realize these are old wife's tales, and no doubt the pigeon was supposed to die after sucking out the hepatitis. Has to make you wonder how that particular tale ever got started, doesn't it?

My family always grabbed fresh bread to stop bleeding. If none was handy, a potato was called into action.

We also used socks full of hot salt for earaches. Used it on my dd and it actually worked very well. Used it on my dh, but apparently should have heated the sock in ther regular oven (not the microwave) as a few minutes later he comes screaming out of the bedroom, where he had been lying with the sock to his ear, and there were actually little flames coming from the sock. Struck me hysterical, but to this day he accuses me of trying to kill him. LOL

[Gompers, BSN, RN]

When I got the hiccups, my mom used to have me eat pretzels or corn chips, barely chew them, and swallow the sharp pieces to "pop" the air bubbles. I'm lucky I never perforated my esophagus!!!

And she worked in a doctor's office!

My mother also didn't know how antibiotics worked. She'd bring home bottles of Amoxicillin from work, and every time I got a cold, she'd make me take some. First of all, antibiotics and viruses don't mix! Second of all, she'd mix the water in, shake up the bottle, and then make me drink the entire thing! Depending on my size at the time, it had to have been at least a few day's worth at a time! Just one dose, though.

Wonder why I'm allergic to Penicillin?

[JeanettePNP, MSN, RN, NP]

Perhaps more to the point is how do they get the pigeon to die? O.K. I realize these are old wife's tales, and no doubt the pigeon was supposed to die after sucking out the hepatitis. Has to make you wonder how that particular tale ever got started, doesn't it?

If you're looking for a rational explanation, the pigeon probably suffocates from being placed on the abdomen, or from the way it's held.

[nursekathi]

Oh, I hadn't thought about most of these tales in a long time, boy do they seem so silly now!

How about:

A "high" belly means a boy, "low" girl (or is it the other way around??)

A draft (especially while sleeping) causes cold/flu

***** (you know what) causes blindness:eek:

Oysters increase fertility

I know that I know bunches more, but can't think of them now

[sanctuary, BSN, MSN, RN]

Perhaps more to the point is how do they get the pigeon to die? O.K. I realize these are old wife's tales, and no doubt the pigeon was supposed to die after sucking out the hepatitis. Has to make you wonder how that particular tale ever got started, doesn't it?

My family always grabbed fresh bread to stop bleeding. If none was handy, a potato was called into action.

We also used socks full of hot salt for earaches. Used it on my dd and it actually worked very well. Used it on my dh, but apparently should have heated the sock in ther regular oven (not the microwave) as a few minutes later he comes screaming out of the bedroom, where he had been lying with the sock to his ear, and there were actually little flames coming from the sock. Struck me hysterical, but to this day he accuses me of trying to kill him. LOL

:roll :roll :roll :roll :roll :roll :rotfl: :rotfl: