Surely it won't stick together? Checking out 10 health scares we used to be scared of as children

1. Do not swallow a bone - it will grow in the stomach

There it will turn into a watermelon or a tree - and will kill you.

An adult understands that this is impossible. But for a child it sounds creepy, and he may be outright worried if he nevertheless swallows the unfortunate bone.

However, this horror story may have a rational explanation: it was invented to save children from unpleasant consequences. A large fruit seed, such as apricot or plum, canForeign Bodies in the Esophagus get stuck in the physiological narrowing of the esophagus and cause obstruction or injury, especially in children.

2. Don't eat a lot of sweets - the butt will stick together

Of course it is not. Carbohydrates enter the intestines, where, if necessary, are broken down from polysaccharides (for example, starch) into monosaccharides (glucose). And then completely absorbedGlucose Metabolism and Regulation: Beyond Insulin and Glucagon into the blood to participate in metabolism and provide the body with energy.

3. Do not read lying down or in the dark - you will spoil your eyesight

"Correct" reading - only sitting with a straight back at a table in good lighting. But lounging with a book on the couch or even reading under a blanket with a flashlight is terribly harmful.

Actually unknown: for this theory does not existIs reading in the dark bad for your eyesight? clear evidence. And some studies even say that supine reads progress more slowly.Associations of reading posture, gaze angle and reading distance with myopia and myopic progression myopia.

4. Don't touch the toad - warts will grow

As a child, we somehow thought that the numerous bumps on the skin that distinguish a toad from a frog were warts. And if you touch them, we will have the same.

Warts are really "contagious", but toads have nothing to do with it.Common warts. These benign formations are caused by various papilloma viruses human (HPV). You can get suchWarts upon contact with a sick person.

And the bumps on the toad's body are glands that secrete a special secret designed to scare away enemies. It turns out that the mechanism works perfectly: people are definitely scared away by toad "warts", although not in the way nature intended.

5. Don't look at welding - you will go blind

There is some truth in this myth: it is better not to look at welding, it is not for nothing that welders wear protective masks.

But in the opposite case, the consequences will not be as dire as we were told. If you are near during welding, you can earnWhat is Photokeratitis - Including Snow Blindness? photokeratitis. This is a rather unpleasant condition: pain, photophobia, inability to open eyes. Fortunately, it is reversible and treatable.

6. Keep your eyes on the bridge of your nose - there will be squint

And one more horror story from the same series: do not grimace, otherwise you will remain so. Of course, neither one nor the other is true.

During the day, people often turn their eyes to the bridge of the nose without even noticing it. This is called convergenceConvergence abilityand it helps us focus our vision. In addition, such an exercise is included in the gymnastics complex.Vision Therapy Exercises You Can Try at Home for the eyes, which is recommended by ophthalmologists.

7. Do not eat seeds - there will be appendicitis

It was believed that inflammation appendix arises due to the fact that it gets clogged with all kinds of "garbage": peel from seeds, bones, inedible objects like accidentally swallowed buttons, and so on.

This is partly true. The main reasonAppendicitis inflammation of the appendix - its blockage and, as a result, the growth of bacteria. This can be caused by, among other things, foreign objects. But it is much more likely that the process will become inflamed due to hardened stool, enlarged lymph nodes, mucus, tumors or worms. Moreover, we still eat seeds without a peel, and they are safely digested in the stomach and intestines.

8. Do not touch the needle - it will stick into the skin and reach the heart through the vessels

This chilling horror story is not so unreal, as sad as it is. Indeed, there have been casesNeedle embolus: a unique complication of intravenous drug abusewhen the needle, being in a peripheral vein, eventually enters the heart.

True, there is one but. Before that, the needle was inserted directly into the vessel, and then it broke and began its journey through the body. Some of the patients who find themselves after this on the operating table - drug addictswho injected themselves on their own, some of them are people with mental disordersNeedle in the heart. Another needle may end up in a vein as a result of unsuccessful medical manipulation.

The needles must be handled with care in any case. If the needle enters soft tissue, you may need the help of doctors - it will be difficult and unsafe to remove it on your own. Only now she can hardly be in her heart. It is impossible to completely exclude such a development of events in which the needle breaks and its fragment gets into the vessel. But the likelihood of this is microscopic.

9. Don't go without a hat - you'll get meningitis

This disease is mainly caused byMeningitis bacteria, viruses, and fungi and parasites. Pathogens are transmitted from person to person by airborne droplets. Non-infectious causes include tumors, craniocerebral trauma, brain surgery, and the effects of certain medications.

"Blow with the wind" meningitis cannot, and the best defense against it is a vaccine, not a hat. Although it is still better to wear it in the cold season, otherwise your head may ache or your ears will start to clog.

10. Do not swallow gum - it will remain in the stomach for 7 years

Chewing gum is really not digested in our digestive tract, but it is safely released from it in a natural way. She can stay in the intestines the only waySwallowing gum: Is it harmful?: If you swallow too much gum and you already have constipation, intestinal obstruction will form. This sometimes happens in children.

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How were you scared as a child? Let us know in the comments.