When you first think of a full moon, visions of the infamous werewolf may pop into your head, but with other people, including scientists and doctors , there has been a reoccurring concern that a full moon can affect other things. In this article, we will take a look at moon myths including how a full moon may or may not affect the outcome of surgery.
Full Moon Does Not Affect Surgery Outcomes
The full moon does have the ability to shift ocean tides, but scientists have concluded that there is no concrete evidence that suggests it has the power to encourage more suicides or hospital admissions, as some people would like to think. The full moon doesn’t make conception any easier to achieve or contribute to any odd phenomena reported in the world. Another concern is whether or not a full moon has any effects on heart surgery.
According to a new study slated for publication in the October issue of the journal Anesthesiology, the phases of the moon show no effect on the outcome of surgery concerning the heart. An investigation was conducted on more than 18,000 patients who underwent a so-called elective coronary artery bypass graft surgery. The procedure aimed to reroute the blood flow is connection with a new artery or vein. All operations took place 1993 and 2006 at the Cleveland Clinic. A handful of doctors were interested in monitoring a range of factors, including the death risk, infections, as well as heart attacks that took place immediately following the surgery.
As they paid attention to many different factors, the urban legend surrounding different phases of the moon and surgeries also piqued the interest of researchers. Other concerns were also addressed, such as whether or not someone would benefit from scheduling their surgeries during certain days of the week or months of the year. While a full moon doesn’t have an affect on your surgery, timing could play a role in your healthcare, but not for the reasons you probably think.
For example, doctors and other hospital professional are more likely to be fatigued by the end of a work week or later on in the day. If you are having surgery in early July and August, keep in mind that new residents and doctors-in-training usually enter hospitals in full force.
Other Moon Myths
The moon has always possessed links to the mystical world. In regards to medicine, doctors, nurses, and emergency workers claim that nights with full moons are busier than others. Interestingly, when it comes to pets, a study involving close to 12,000 emergency room visits associated with animals showed that pets highlighted a higher risk (more than 20% greater) for suffering a medical emergency, such as trauma or cardiac arrest, when taken place on full-moon nights than other days.
Beach pollution also seems worse during a full moon, which is usually attributed to the difference in the lunar cycle.
Some people hold superstitions regarding the buying and selling of investment stocks according to the different phases of the moon.
However, when it comes down to it, the media and the movies tend to enhance the allure of a full moon, going beyond the usual tales of vampire and werewolves.