Tara George is a GP trainer and Training Programme Director in Derbyshire; Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at University of Sheffield; and a member of the Don’t Forget the Bubbles Executive. She is the host of the Bedside Reading Podcast. She is on BlueSky and X
Dani Hall is a Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine in Dublin; Senior Clinical Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London; and a member of the Don’t Forget the Bubbles Executive. She is on X
Tessa Davis is a Consultant in Paediatric Emergency Medicine at the Royal London Hospital; Senior Lecturer at Queen Mary University of London; and Co-Founder of Don’t Forget the Bubbles. She is on instagram: www.instagram.com/drtessardavis
Nicola O’Shea is an Assistant Librarian in Children’s Health Ireland at Crumlin, and Secretary of the Health Sciences Libraries Group of the Library Association of Ireland. https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicolaoshea-librarian/
Old wives’ tales are the cautionary tales we tell our children, passing down wisdom through generations. They often blend folklore with pseudoscience, but what does the actual science say? We surveyed clinicians who care for children in primary and secondary care for their favourite tales via the Don’t Forget the Bubbles Discord, which has more than 300 members from around the world (though predominantly based in the UK and Australia). After selecting the most popular, we conducted seven literature reviews, developing PubMed search strategies using MeSH terms and free-text keywords, and performing citation searches on relevant articles. When research was sparse, we broadened our search to Google Scholar and grey literature, to explore the evidence behind these time-honoured claims.
1. Cracking knuckles gives you arthritis
“These cautionary tales are steeped in cultural lore and parental wisdom. However, they may not always be based in truth.”
Of all the body’s sounds, older relatives love to warn children about knuckle cracking. But is there any science behind the claim that it causes arthritis? We cracked this myth open.
First, the anatomy. Knuckle cracking collapses the bubbles in synovial fluid, producing that satisfying pop. A case study (with one participant) conducted over a 50-year period compared a left hand that was knuckle-cracked (36 500 times) and a right hand that was not cracked at all.1 There was no correlation between habitual cracking and osteoarthritis.
Two other studies totalling 515 people also found no link to arthritis,2,3 although reduced grip strength was noted among avid crackers.3
Be warned, however; two cases of ligament injuries from overzealous popping have been reported.4
Bottom line: Knuckle cracking, a satisfying and relatively safe, if noisy, pastime, does not cause arthritis.
2. You will catch a cold if you go outside with wet hair
Children have frequently been warned not to go out with wet hair in case they ‘catch cold’. One explanation is that sinus pain experienced in cold conditions might be mistaken as the beginning of a respiratory tract infection.5
One study showed no difference in colds based on the hair-drying methods of 102 swimmers in winter.6
A 2005 literature review found no significant increase in the risk of contracting a cold due to cold exposure.7 Interestingly, in a study of 180 participants, acute chilling of the feet was found to cause the onset of common cold symptoms in 14%, though the authors did surmise that further studies are needed.8
Bottom line: Hats and hair dryers may be less important than warm socks and wellies in preventing colds.
3. Chicken soup cures common colds
“Science suggests there is more to Grandma’s cure-all than meets the spoon.”
Science suggests there is more to Grandma’s cure-all than meets the spoon. For starters, chicken soup inhibits neutrophil activation,9 meaning it could reduce inflammation.
One study showed that sipping chicken soup increased nasal mucous velocity from 6.9 mm to 9.2 mm per minute, faster than a hot water control.10
In one case report, a man abruptly stopping his chicken soup regimen developed pneumonia,11 solid proof you should take your chicken soup with a pinch of salt (and perhaps some crackers).
It might not be the chicken though. The warm, wet nature of chicken soup might generally help by loosening secretions and maintaining hydration.12
Bottom line: While the science simmers, it seems that a bowl of chicken soup may indeed be a cure for the common cold.
4. Swallowed gum stays in your stomach for 7 years
We found 12 reports of gum causing some sticky situations. These were some of our favourites.
Two 4-year-olds with severe constipation were found to have rectal gum bezoars. On questioning, all four parents admitted using gum as a potty-training prize.13 The same authors reported a 1-year-old with an oesophageal mass of coins and gum. Swallowing your savings is not so savvy.
An adult quitting smoking was investigated for anaemia. Their colonoscopy revealed 30 nicotine gum pieces in the colon.14 Some habits are tough to unstick.
A 40-year-old with vomiting and achalasia had a gastroscopy that unearthed a 5×5 cm gum mass with, what the authors described as, ‘a minty aroma.’15
Bottom line: While gum might not stick around for 7 years, it can gum up the works if swallowed excessively.
“Indirect evidence at best, certainly not 20/20 hindsight.”
5. Sitting too close to the television makes you short-sighted
There has been longstanding concern about television causing ‘eye strain’.16 However, there is very little evidence supporting this.17
Although a 1950s survey of 19 000 children aged 7–14 years concluded television caused eye strain, their assumptions were short-sighted. They did not account for pre-existing myopia or that the wealthier demographic of television-owning parents might simply have been more vigilant about eye exams.18 Indirect evidence at best, certainly not 20/20 hindsight.
More robustly, a study of 1312 children aged 7–18 years correlated eyesight with watching television. There was no correlation between hours watched and visual disturbance.19
In fact, television has been recommended for amblyopic eye exercises, and to improve diplopia after strabismus operations.17
However, a study of 76 adults watching ultra-high-definition television found that those aged over 50 years, or with a tendency for dry eyes, reported increased ocular discomfort.20
Bottom line: While the jury’s still out, the old adage about television destroying your vision might be more fiction than fact. Keep your distance, but do not lose sight of the bigger picture.
6. Sitting on a cold wall gives you piles
We could not find any evidence to support or refute the claim that sitting on a cold wall causes haemorrhoids. But, as cold surfaces usually cause vasoconstriction, it might be argued that a cold wall should be a cure, not a cause.
Bottom line: Perching on a frosty wall will not give you piles, though it might give you a chilly behind.
7. Squeezing a spot on your nose could cause a brain abscess
TikTok, Instagram, and magazines aimed at teenagers frequently caution squeezing spots on the nose due to the vascular connections in the facial ‘danger triangle’ giving a risk of brain abscesses. However, there are no published case reports about brain abscesses secondary to squeezed acne.
Bottom line: This can safely be dismissed as a myth, though squeezing spots does risk scarring and local infection so cannot be recommended.
Conclusion
These cautionary tales are steeped in cultural lore and parental wisdom. However, they may not always be based in truth. We have lightly explored the evidence, underscoring that while such traditions hold value, a dose of scepticism often helps separate fact from folklore.
Deputy Editor’s note: Can you (the reader) add any relevant medical research evidence to these cautionary tales? Share your links to relevant literature in the comments box below. Please do NOT share any confidential patient information.
References
1. Unger DL. Does knuckle cracking lead to arthritis of the fingers? Arthritis Rheum 1998; 41(5): 949–950.
2. Deweber K, Olszewski M, Ortolano R. Knuckle cracking and hand osteoarthritis. J Am Board Fam Med 2011; 24(2): 169–174.
3. Castellanos J, Axelrod D. Effect of habitual knuckle cracking on hand function. Ann Rheum Dis 1990; 49(5): 308–309.
4. Chan PS, Steinberg DR, Bozentka DJ. Consequences of knuckle cracking: a report of two acute injuries. Am J Orthop (Belle Mead NJ) 1999; 28(2): 113–114.
5. Kaya A, Calışkan H. Does wet hair in cold weather cause sinus headache and posterior eye pain? A possible mechanism through selective brain cooling system. Med Hypotheses 2012; 79(6): 744–745.
6. Burch DM. The incidence of colds among college women who swim during the winter months. 1964. https://openresearch.okstate.edu/server/api/core/bitstreams/c847369b-c79f-4dc0-8ead-1b461e4fc066/content (accessed 19 Dec 2024).
7. Eccles R. Acute cooling of the body surface and the common cold. Rhinology 2002; 40(3): 109–114.
8. Johnson C, Eccles R. Acute cooling of the feet and the onset of common cold symptoms. Fam Pract 2005; 22(6): 608–613.
9. Rennard BO, Ertl RF, Gossman GL, et al. Chicken soup inhibits neutrophil chemotaxis in vitro. Chest 2000; 118(4): 1150–1157.
10. Saketkhoo K, Januszkiewicz A, Sackner MA. Effects of drinking hot water, cold water, and chicken soup on nasal mucus velocity and nasal airflow resistance. Chest 1978; 74(4): 408–410.
11. Caroline NL, Schwartz H. Chicken soup rebound and relapse of pneumonia: report of a case. Chest 1975; 67(2): 215–216.
12. Bender BS. Barbara, what’s a nice girl like you doing writing an article like this?: the scientific basis of folk remedies for colds and flu. Chest 2000; 118(4): 887–888.
13. Milov DE, Andres JM, Erhart NA, Bailey DJ. Chewing gum bezoars of the gastrointestinal tract. Pediatrics 1998; 102(2): e22.
14. Magee JS, Bernick SJ. Undigested gum found during colonoscopy. ACG Case Rep J 2020; 7(3): e00339.
15. Neuberger F, Collins J, Patel S. A sticky situation. Emerg Med J 2014; 31(7): 592.
16. Rones B. Does television damage the eyes? Sight Sav Rev 1949; 19(3): 127–131.
17. Trevor-Roper PD. Television and the eyes. Proc R Soc Med 1969; 62(4): 385–387.
18. Griffith AH. Children’s vision and television. Br Med J 1957; 2(5056): 1299–1302.
19. Moore LH. Television-viewing habits of children with and without defects of vision. Br Med J 1960; 1(5178): 1046.
20. Kim H, Yang HK, Seo J-M, et al. Effect of ultra-high-definition television on ocular surface and fatigue. Korean J Ophthalmol 2020; 34(5): 367–374.
Featured Photo by John Tuesday on Unsplash.
