People faint for a variety of reasons. Standing, particularly when associated with heat or emotional stress, can cause blood to pool in the lower extremities. “If dehydration is present the situation is worsened,” explains Dr. Richard Nicholas, one of our orthopedic surgeons at UAMS. “The low rate of blood return to the heart in these […]
Medical Myths
Should Pregnant Women Avoid Cats Because Cat Feces Can Cause Birth Defects?
There is some level of truth to this myth, although the chances of it occurring are slim. Toxoplasmosis is an infection that can be bad for a pregnancy if the fetus gets infected. The organism is carried in the feces of cats and other similar animals. Therefore, cats that are out in the wild, who […]
Can Drinking a Lot of Hot, Black Coffee Help You Sober Up After Drinking a Lot of Alcohol?
This question has been discussed by everyone from college students to respected scientists, probably for generations. Like many medical myths there is some “truth” to this notion. However, UAMS’ Department of Emergency Medicine says it’s important to know that coffee cannot reverse the effects of alcohol. Coffee cannot ‘sober you up.’ It does not get […]
Is Drinking Eight Glasses of Water a Day Good for Your Overall Health? And Will This Prevent Kidney Stones?
Everyone has heard that we should drink eight glasses of water a day but there’s no way to determine where this belief originated nor has there ever been a scientific study to support it, explains Dr. Alex Finkbeiner, chairman of the UAMS Department of Urology. “Interestingly, one of my colleagues also questioned whether such a […]
Is a Woman Who Has Never Given Birth More Likely to Develop Ovarian or Uterine Cancer Than a Woman Who Has Had a Child?
In ovarian cancer, the likelihood of developing the disease is reduced with each pregnancy, says Dr. Alexander Burnett, chief of UAMS’ Division of Gynecologic Oncology. “Also, if a woman takes birth control pills for at least five years during her reproductive life, she will have a reduced chance of developing ovarian cancer. It appears that […]
Will Feeding a Child a Lot of Candy or Food With a Lot of Sugar in it Make Children Hyperactive?
No evidence exists that feeding children a high-sugar diet will induce hyperactivity, despite the common belief that it does, according to Dr. Bryan Burke, an associate professor of General Pediatrics and Neonatology at UAMS. “By the same token I kind of like this old wives’ tale, despite it being wrong, because a high-sugar diet has […]
Can Some People be Carriers of Diseases Without Ever Appearing Sick?
Infections are transmitted by different types of “germs,” including bacteria and viruses. Some germs can cause asymptomatic infection, which means that the person can have the ‘germ’ in their body, but they don’t have any symptoms of the disease or they have very mild symptoms and don’t really feel sick, according to the Division of Infectious Diseases […]
Does Your Heart Stop for an Instant When You Sneeze?
You sneeze and your body reacts. Your eyes squeeze closed and your heart seems to jump. Did your heart just stop? According to the UAMS’ Department of Otolaryngology/Head and Neck Surgery, your heart doesn’t exactly stop. When you sneeze, the intrathoracic pressure in your body momentarily increases. This will decrease the blood flow back […]
Will Taking Vitamin C Help You Avoid Getting a Cold?
Vitamin C, also known as ascorbic acid, is good for preventing scurvy, which British sailors discovered in the mid-1700s. However, it won’t prevent colds or relieve any of the symptoms associated with them, according to the UAMS College of Pharmacy. Many people are convinced that taking large quantities of vitamin C will keep them from […]
Do a Person’s Hair and Fingernails Continue to Grow After Death?
Hair and fingernails may appear longer after death, but not because they are still growing. Instead, a persons fingernails and hair may appear longer because the skin around them has retracted, according to the Dermatology Clinic at UAMS. After death, dehydration causes the skin and other soft tissues to shrink. This occurs while the hair and […]