How about your favorite Old Wives Tales related to health?

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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

How about the one about a nosebleed? Put bread under the top lip (between the lip and the teeth to stop a nosebleed.

Also from friends in India, for females; Don't lift anything heavy otherwise you'll harm your female insides.

They also shave the baby's head when it is a certain age (like 2 or 3 year old) to make it's hair grow in thick and strong.

Lots and lots of other ones from India....

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How about the one about a nosebleed? Put bread under the top lip (between the lip and the teeth to stop a nosebleed.

Also from friends in India, for females; Don't lift anything heavy otherwise you'll harm your female insides.

They also shave the baby's head when it is a certain age (like 2 or 3 year old) to make it's hair grow in thick and strong.

Lots and lots of other ones from India....

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An RN who was also a nursing instructor once told me that you could tell when death was imminent by looking at the person's nose. The tip went sharp and pointy. And believe it or not, I sometimes see it. Physiologically, maybe from dehydration? I'm not sure, but when one of my patients isn't doing to well, I check the nose!

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Specializes in Emergency room, ICU, Med/Surg.

I have a cousin born with huge port wine stain on the side of his face. My mother says it is there because when my aunt was pregnant with him she was startled by a snake in the garden and hit herself in the stomach when she jumped away from the snake!!!! I did have a little Croatian woman in the LTC where I worked when i was pregnant with my son tell me it was going to be a boy by the feel of my ear lobes!!! My mother used to pull the thin membrane inside the eggshell out and put it on an abscess to "help pull the poison out". And I remember many a night waking up with an ear ache and my parents would pour warm olive oil into my ear.

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Specializes in ER.

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!!! :barf02:

for sunburn, my mom swears by putting either used tea bags or vinegar on it (so not only are you in pain, but you stink like crazy too :eek: ).

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, home-care.

:uhoh3:

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!!! :barf02:

for sunburn, my mom swears by putting either used tea bags or vinegar on it (so not only are you in pain, but you stink like crazy too :eek: ).

:uhoh3: gross???? did you know my family?? i thought i was the only one in the world who had pee put in their ear until my sis-in-law was going to try it on my child... where this ever started, i'll never know.

i had many earaches when i was small, and if the urine did not work, we would hunt someone with "canned" bear grease... honest.

then there was a friend that would "fry-up" an iron skillet of nightcrawlers to make a "salve" to cure pimples....ugghh

when you had a sore-throat, mom would put raw bacon in a dishtowel and pin it around your neck until you were better.

nutmeg (teaspoon full) in a 3 or 4 oz glass of whole milk would make diarrea go away...

if your bowels did not move everyday, you either got a soap-suds enemia or a sliver of ivory soap .......

cuts: pour flour on it to stop the bleeding.

god, its a wonder some of us are still alive....:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Recovery Room (PACU), Surgical, ICU/CCU.
Yes, this is one of my pet peeves, along with people saying they'll catch a cold from going outside when it's cold. Isn't this the 21st century? don't we know viruses cause colds?

IT has also been proven in studies that cold conditions lower our immune system, hence we are more likely to catch a cold (provided you already have the cold virus). :)

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An RN who was also a nursing instructor once told me that you could tell when death was imminent by looking at the person's nose. The tip went sharp and pointy. And believe it or not, I sometimes see it. Physiologically, maybe from dehydration? I'm not sure, but when one of my patients isn't doing to well, I check the nose!

now see, i'd been told to watch the earlobes for imminent death--they "turn under" (back towards the scalp). i think it's the same rationale as the nose--dehydration. and i've seen it many a-time. i'll have to keep an eye out for those nose, too, from now on....

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Specializes in Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy.
And I remember many a night waking up with an ear ache and my parents would pour warm olive oil into my ear.

I know a lot of people who swear by olive oil. Hey, it beats repeat rounds of antibiotics.

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In my lamaze class in 1977 our instructor told us to take blue liquid draino mix one cup in glass container with one cup of first morning urine and if it stayed blue it was a girl if it turned tea colored it was a boy.. 10 out of the 12 were right...!! but they no longer make blue liquid draino ... it is yellow now.. wonder what chemical it had?

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others are---- more babies born on full moon...

That a baby must fall off the bed or sofa before yr old.

that a baby must break out in hives or they will not be smart..( I found out hives are those little bumps they get on face and nose at about 6wks)

The newest one is if you play Mozart or Beethoven on C.D all night long for baby they will be super smart.!!!

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Specializes in Community Integrated Svcs, PeriOperative Svcs..

Well, I'm a Canadian nurse who is currently living & working in South Texas & I've never heard so many old wives' tales since I've moved here!

I worked L&D for 3 years & in that time had several (hispanic) girls come in to the hospital, when placing them on the EFM, noticed a key safety-pinned into their underpants or placed on their EFM belts afterwards. When I asked about this strange custom, they stated that was "so the moon doesn't eat their baby!" :eek:

Also, the hispanic culture believes in something called "Ojo" (the evil eye). If you comment on a new baby (or give anyone a compliment) without touching them, then they say that they will get Ojo (pronounced oho).

I'm sure I can think of more...but it's late! :zzzzz

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