10 Medical Myths People Still Believe

It’s kind of humorous, but there are 10 medical myths people still believe in today. Misinformation is tough to get rid of.

Swallowing chewing gum will keep it in your stomach for 7 years

This is almost as ridiculous as thinking that you can grow a plant in your body by swallowing a seed. There are products in the gum that will resist absorption, but they will still pass through your body like everything else.

Exposure to cold weather promotes sickness

Be honest, your mom has told you more than once to wear something warm or you’ll catch a cold. This is one of the medical myths that has persisted somehow throughout the years. The truth is that cold weather makes us stay inside, where proximity to others, and bacteria, can really make you sick.

Taking a vaccine can promote the flu and/or autism

This is one of the medical myths that is actually harmful. Vaccines can indeed cause soreness and flu-like symptoms, but as far as causing autism, this has been debunked a few times.

You can get arthritis by cracking your knuckles

It’s a bad habit to get into since it can cause temporary swelling in the joints and a reduction in grip strength. But in terms of arthritis, it can happen to anyone, even if they don’t crack their knuckles.

Sugar causes hyperactivity in kids

Among the many myths, this one is still easy to fall back on. Sugar does give a person a jolt, especially in large amounts, but if your kid is unusually hyper, it’s probably time to get them checked out by a doctor.

You can get cancer from antiperspirant

For women, this is a fear that is very real since breast cancer is a horrible thing to go through. But the belief that this can be caused by a common item has been debunked.

Drinking 64 ounces of water each day is necessary

Granted, you do need water to function, but it doesn’t mean you need to drown yourself. Listening to your body and paying attention to your activity levels is important, and drinking water now and then is smart.

People only use 10 percent of their brains

Movies have been made with this claim, but the truth is that our brains are quite active. There’s no doubt that the brain is a complicated organ and we don’t know enough about it yet, but even a simple task requires more use of the brain than people realize.

Sitting right next to the TV will ruin your eyes

Eye strain is real, there’s no doubt about that. But causing permanent damage is a stretch. It’s more about the lighting, how long you’re exposed to the TV screen, and how much you strain your eyes.

Spicy food causes ulcers

Spicy foods might cause a bit of distress in your guts, but they’re not burning holes in your stomach wall. If that were the case then many people would probably stop eating certain foods.