We live in an age where information is instant. A quick Google search can bring up millions of results in seconds. But along with solid facts, plenty of outdated or misleading ideas keep getting recycled, and far too many people accept them without a second thought.
So when a Reddit user asked doctors to share the medical myths they still hear often, plenty of responses came in. And it’s concerning, because believing the wrong thing about your health can have serious consequences.
Keep reading to see what they had to say—just remember, for real medical advice, always consult a qualified healthcare professional directly.
#1
Biggest myth....that Kennedy knows what he is talking about and will make American healthy again.
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#2
YOU DONT NEED ANTIBIOTICS FOR YOUR VIRAL COLD.
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#3
Essentially everything RFK says.
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#4
As a friend of mine once said, "Even arsenic is all natural".
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#5
That vaccines do more harm than good.
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#6
You know what's unnatural? Eyeglasses. You know what is natural? Being chased down by predators you notice too late.
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#7
"Women have been having babies for thousands of years" as a rationale to dismiss risks.
Child birth has incredible risks, most of which are carpet swept under the joy of having kids, and leads to a lot of shock during pregnancy, birth and postpartum.
Every would-be parent should be assessing the risks before getting pregnant. Not as a deterrent, but as a way to be fully informed as various things can unfold, and how to be ready for them.
Image credits: Suitable_cataclysm
#8
"Natural" supplements are better and safer than proven medications. Have seen people die with treatable cancer, heart disease, liver failure- or get very sick from these untested products. And they cost a lot. Please be careful.
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#9
Not a doctor; that the cervix doesn't have nerves and thus can't feel any pain. I think the overwhelming amount of women who say getting an IUD inserted hurts enough that many have passed out beg to differ.
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#10
“The doctor told me I had 6 months to live.” Not that I can blame people for possibly misunderstanding the details of a cancer diagnosis. What the doctor actually is saying is that the median survival is 6 months. Half live more than 6 months and half live less.
This might seem trivial to some of you, but I think this misunderstanding hurts trust in doctors at the exact time they need it most. How many times have you heard something like “The doctor gave me one year to live and I’m still alive 3 years later.” The implication for some being that doctors don’t know what they are talking about.
I have seen too many people forgo effective treatment to do something crazy like smoke marijuana instead of having a bone marrow transplant for their leukemia. And misunderstandings like this are partly to blame.
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#11
"Vaccines cause autism.".
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#12
ICU nurse here. This is a new one I just heard today. A patient’s family member asked me if the blood we were giving the patient had been screened to make sure it wasn’t high pressure blood. I didn’t delve into what they meant by that .
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#13
You need to drink 8 cups/2 liters/whatever of water a day to be healthy. There is no such evidence-based recommendation. The best science says to drink to your thirst.
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#14
The ivermectin is better for cancer than standard therapies myth is growing. And whenever a patient shows data it’s always cell culture data.
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#15
Less a myth. More a lack of education. Hydrogen peroxide is decent for using at initial wound cleansing. Repeated use actually resets the healing process. Most don’t know this.
Image credits: Own-Illustrator7980
#16
Wearing reading glasses with make your near vision worse. No, aging makes your near vision worse.
“My eyes can’t be dry, they’re watering all the time.” Watering is in fact a symptom of dry eye disease.
Eating carrots makes your eyesight better. Nope. Carrots contain vitamin A which is important for vision, and vitamin A deficiency can definitely result in vision problems. But more carrots does not equal better vision.
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#17
PEE. IS. NOT. STERILE.
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#18
The number of doctors that have extreme bias is super scary. Won't listen to someone based on racism, sexism, or classism... common. Causes a lot of issues, you have a group of people who are convinced from a very young age that they are too smart to have bias, and simultaneously told they are smarter than anyone else, rolling their eyes at all manner of sickness, like MANY believe people are faking, if they dont have a quick diagnostic tool to confirm, and the patient is not the type of person the doctor considers competent enough to describe or even experience illness. I have a friend who is teaching doc at a major hospital, and he is like the most challenging part is getting some of the bias and arrogance out of young doctors, many of whom have no frame of reference for other cultures and are astounded to learn many patients have had damaging experiences with doctors, based on mythology and bias doctors are engrained with.
Image credits: wierdbutyoudoyou
#19
‘Circumcision is necessary’.
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#20
That you have to take the bullet out.
You don’t.
The holes the bullet made are the problem. Just taking the bullet out doesn’t fix anything. Hard eye roll every time I see this in movies.
Image credits: DianeMadeMe
#21
Glasses make your eyes weak or lazy. Glasses solve a optics problem.
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#22
Vaccine-skepticism. They are one of the simplest, most-effective interventions we have ever created.
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#23
Dragonflies sting.
They don’t.
I’m a doctor of Entomology.
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#24
Catching a viral illness because it's cold outside.
Sugar feeds cancer
"Nipping" a bronchitis in the bud by taking antibiotics.
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#25
“They just want to take their organs!” I can promise you the doctors and nurses taking care of you get zero dollars in bonus for anyone donating organs.
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#26
Not a doctor, but the person who believed a myth from TV: that autopsies are commonly performed. The doctor told me that in the state only about 2% of deaths are autopsied.
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#27
“You’re too young to be experiencing menopausal or hormonal symptoms.”
Perimenopause starts as early as 35 for some, some women go through ovarian failure before 40. HRT is incredibly important and helpful. Hormonal issues are a big concern for cardiovascular, osteoporosis, metabolic risks, shorter life expectancy and weight issues. Autoimmune disorders should also be considered alongside diagnosis.
HRT does not cause any higher likelihood of blood clots or cancers than Birth Control does. Rx the HRT as it bypasses the liver and has fewer potential side effects. Do not let your patients suffer please. Refer out to a specialist if you’re not well versed in endocrine concerns. Birth Control is not safer than HRT and HRT is absolutely necessary with POF until at least age 55.
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#28
Whenever someone has a concussion and we send them home after a normal CT scan, I always get asked how often they need woken up and checked on.
- You might also like: 19 People Share The Most Ridiculous Things They Have Ever Seen In An ER
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