Basic misconceptions about modern medicine

Many will agree that at present health issues are worried by an increasing number of people. Nevertheless, there is a lot of very thoughtless and inadequate information from this field. Consider the main misconceptions about modern medicine.

Misconception # 1: The medicine will help if the doctor gives me a 100% guarantee of success

In medicine, as in science, practically nothing can be guaranteed 100%. Too much depends on the individual (and often unpredictable) features of the human body. The doctor can do everything right, but do not get the expected effect. In the United States, for example, a doctor who helps 75% of patients is considered good. But sometimes even the best experts can not cure some seemingly "minor" illnesses.

In addition, the same medicines, applied equally by two people, can give different results. In one case, this can lead to side effects, in another case there will be no therapeutic effect at all. Despite the significant progress of medicine in many areas, diseases such as congenital developmental anomalies, many cancers and others are still not effective enough.

Misconception number 2: Why take preventive tests for a healthy person! ? It's a waste of time and money.

Preventive medicine is also a field of science. Of course, the disease is easier to prevent than treat. So if you periodically pass a test for the existence of any bacterial (tuberculosis, staphylococcus) and viral (hepatitis B and C) infections, the development of cancer (breast, prostate, cervix), the risk of hidden pathology will be minimal. It is much more dangerous to detect the disease at a later stage. If the study shows that there are no deviations from the norm, this is also a result!

In some cases, a preventive study can assess the future of the patient. For example, if a pregnant woman has not been diagnosed with genitourinary infections (herpes, cytomegalovirus, toxoplasmosis, chlamydia, mycoplasma, etc.), then it can be said with high probability that pregnancy will go smoothly and the child will not have congenital developmental anomalies.

Misconception # 3: The more expensive the drug, the more effective it is

Such misconceptions about medicine are often costly for us in the literal sense. The cost of medical services and products depends on many factors, many of them are not related to quality. It is possible that doctors will recommend you a cheap and effective treatment, and sometimes it is that the appointment of a specialist is unreasonably expensive (from a medical point of view). Remember the main thing - in modern medicine, price does not mean quality.

Misconception # 4: To choose the right treatment, you need to consult several doctors

Yes, for the same disease, different schemes for diagnosis and therapy can be used. In some countries with certain diseases (or suspicions on them), the doctor is obliged to recommend a second opinion. This is not a reinsurance and does not in any way mean that the opinion of this doctor should not be trusted. The choice in many cases will be yours, when you listen to the recommendations of the chosen doctor. But in this case, do not be surprised at the lack of a positive effect.

Misconception # 5: During the passage of this study, no pathology was found. Why repeat it?

Many of the studies that you were subjected to last week, a month or a year ago, can not fully reflect the current state of affairs. The state of the body is constantly changing. With age, the likelihood of the disease increases. Therefore, some studies should be conducted periodically.

Children under 5 years of age should be examined at least once or twice a year. And at least once a year you need to do a general analysis of blood and urine. Women at least once a year should consult a gynecologist. 1-2 times a year everyone should visit the dentist.

Misconception # 6: Bronchitis is a complication after the flu

It is believed that bronchitis occurs as a complication after the flu or other acute respiratory viral diseases. But bronchitis can be caused not only by viruses, but also by bacteria that enter the body in a different way. For many people, this disease is a reaction to a polluted environment, exhaust fumes, etc. Often in these cases, bronchitis is confused with asthma.

Misconception 7: A child under 5 should not be sick at all

The main misconceptions about children are related to the fact that adults consider children absolutely helpless, weak before the disease. In fact, most infectious diseases in children pass relatively easily and, as a consequence, it makes them immune to disease in the future. So it is better to get sick with some ailments in early childhood. Some "caring" mothers even specially place their children in the collective so that their children play with their sick peers and can get infected as soon as possible. Of course, this is absolutely not necessary, but it is unnecessary and unnecessarily to protect the child from certain diseases. With age, many diseases are much more severe and have very serious consequences.

Misconception # 8: Breathing deeply is always helpful

Many people believe that deep breathing makes us stronger and more immune to disease. We usually begin to breathe deeply before deciding on any action, when something is regrettable or just experiencing violent emotions.

We do not even suspect that we actually violate the circulation of oxygen in the body. That's why even in a state of acute stress it is recommended to breathe smoothly and calmly. There are special techniques for deep breathing, but they are performed as a set of exercises and do not apply in everyday life.