Health Watch: Do you really only use 10 percent of your brain?

Health Tip: Don't Believe the Myths

The British Medical Journal recently published a report on medical myths that are so common, even doctors believe them. Here are the top myths and the truth:

Myth: We use only 10 percent of our brains.

Fact: MRI scans, PET scans and other imaging studies show no dormant areas of the brain, and even viewing individual neurons or cells reveals no inactive areas. And metabolic studies of how brain cells process chemicals show no nonfunctioning areas.

Myth: You should drink at least eight glasses of water a day.

Fact: "There is no medical evidence to suggest that you need that much water," said Dr. Rachel Vreeman, a pediatrics research fellow at the Indiana University School of Medicine and co-author of the journal article.

Myth: Fingernails and hair grow after death.

Fact: "As the body's skin is drying out, soft tissue, especially skin, is retracting," Vreeman said. "The nails appear much more prominent as the skin dries out. The same is true, but less obvious, with hair. As the skin is shrinking back, the hair looks more prominent or sticks up a bit."

Myth: Shaved hair grows back faster, coarser and darker.

Fact: A 1928 clinical trial compared hair growth in shaved patches to growth in non-shaved patches. The hair which replaced the shaved hair was no darker or thicker and did not grow in faster. More recent studies have confirmed that one.

Myth: Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.

Fact: The researchers found no evidence that reading in dim light causes permanent eye damage. It can cause eye strain and temporarily decreased acuity, which subsides after rest.

Myth: Mobile phones are dangerous in hospitals.

Fact: There are no known cases of death related to this one. Cases of less-serious interference with hospital devices seem to be largely anecdotal, the researchers found. -- Livescience.com

Quote of Note

"Syphilis used to be a very rare disease. I'm not sure we can say that anymore."

Dr. Marita van de Laar, an expert in sexually transmitted diseases at the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, on statistics that show syphilis is dramatically on the rise around the world, especially in Europe.

Healing Herbs

WebMD recently released a list of 10 herbs that are starting to attract interest from scientists as being beneficial for a variety of conditions. Over the next couple weeks, we'll highlight some of these healing herbs.

Holy basil: Several animal studies back holy basil, a special variety of the plant you use in your pesto sauce, as effective at reducing stress by increasing adrenaline and noradrenaline and decreasing serotonin. This is no surprise to Pratima Nangia-Makker, PhD, a researcher at the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, whose mother and grandmother relied on a tea made from the leaves of holy basil to relieve indigestion and headaches.

Number to Know: 33

Percent of women who said their doctor discussed breast reconstruction options with them before cancer surgery. The lesson here: take advantage of Internet health sites to find out everything you can before the operation.

Children's Health

If your child has an ear infection, you should see your pediatrician as soon as possible. Here's what treatment to expect, courtesy of the American Academy of Family Physicians:

- If the infection is bacterial, your doctor probably will prescribe an antibiotic.

- If the infection is viral, an antibiotic won't treat it, so prescribing one may be counterproductive.

- You can give your child a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen or ibuprofen. Don't give your child aspirin, unless the doctor says so.

- Apply a warm heating pad to the ear to relieve pain.

- The doctor may prescribe eardrops.

Senior Health

HealthDay News reported that seniors are more likely to become dehydrated during heat waves because their bodies aren't telling them they're thirsty. The Australian scientists behind the study aren't sure where the problem originates - in the brain or in the body, for example - but they say older adults should make sure they're drinking plenty of water during such times.

GateHouse News Service