Why would someone with no medical knowledge give wrong, dangerous medical advice?

Question

Though I am in the dental field, the doctor I work for is very intelligent and very knowledgable in the dental and medical field, including pharmacology. He has been teaching me what he knows for as long as I have worked for him. I don't usually give medical advice unless it is something that I know for sure that I am right on. I answered a question a couple of days ago, about what was ok to take for pain during a pregnancy. My answer was based on my medical knowledge, not just my own opinion. I know that my answer was accurate. Another person later on answered and said NO NO NO NO and advised the asker that I was wrong and told her to take something that I know for a fact most OB/GYN's would tell a pregnant woman NOT to take. If this person did have medical knowledge, they certainly need to go back and study some more, because the advice they gave was wrong and could be dangerous. Why do people give medical advice that is just their opinion and not actual facts?

I'm sorry if this sounds like a rant, but it just infuriates me for someone to give an expectant mother advice that could be harmful, when they don't know what they are talking about. I know if I were pregant, I would want anyone giving me medical advice to know what they were talking about.

Maria-Just for the record, I did suggest that she go to her own Dr about this. But that aside, as long as their is a medical or pregnancy section on here, people are going to ask questions and people are going to give answers. Just simple common sense should tell someone if it is a medical question, dont give advice that is innacurate and could be dangerous to the asker. That is just ignorant. That would be like me telling someone on here how to start an IV. I don't have a clue how to do that and I wouldn't give advice about it.

Answer 1

If they have a medical liscence you should report them. Otherwise just know that people do stupid things when they think they know everything. If asked by someone if it's safe to take medicine you do not have the authority even if you know its ok to tell them it is. They need to talk to their ob/gyn as you cannot be fully aware of their entire medical history. Back to your question, some people know someone who knows someone who did something and that makes them an expert, some people are just know it alls and are very adamant about telling people that, whether its by giving out wrong information or by butting into other peoples business.

Answer 2

Because they think they know it all. Also, information is changing everyday. Back in the day, a doctor wouldn't have told an expectant mother that she shouldn't take certain medications during pregnancy. Then, there was a time when an expectant mother was told not to take ANY medication. But now certain medications have been proven safe. I've found that it depends on how old the person is that's giving the advice. They think what their doctor told them 20 years ago still applies.

Answer 3

people do that all the time, any medical advice i give to a person is given AFTER telling them to talk to their own doctor. I then tell them only what my OB has told me is safe during my pregnancy. But just as all people are different, so are all doctors. My doctor specifically told me when i started seeing him for this pregnancy that if i have any friends who are pregnant right now that I should try and refrain from sharing "doctor stories" as even in the same practice some doctors prescribe different things than others.

Answer 4

I agree and I think there are alot of people that just like to make up stuff instead of giving real life knowledge or known medical knowledge.

I'm a vet tech so I know alot about animals, and I'm a mom so I've been pregnant and know some about that too. I wouldn't ever give someone advice if I wasn't sure on the answer.

I hate the people that say don't tell me to call my doctor...HELLO! Most of the time you should, especially when your pregnant, it's not just your life at stake.

Answer 5

This is an open forum where people can give advice on whatever they want. They don't need any credentials. This leads me to ask why someone would seek medical advice here. Anyone can pretend to be a doctor and give advice. You can actually be a doctor and give wrong advice. You don't know all of the details, haven't examined that person, and don't know their history. That's why in such cases I ALWAYS tell people to talk to their own physician.

Answer 6

I think that if you take the medical advise you recieve in Yahoo Answers, you may get what you deserve. I understand your frustration but don't fret it. There are many places on the net to get medical advise. I wouldn't assume this person took the advise given. All you can do is mention in your answer where you got the answer and hope they take the advise.

Answer 7

I think you make a good point. I think this happens to alot of people. This is a message board. I give advice from my own experince not cause i'm a dr. or a nurse. This is nice to have to get some ideas what is going on. This is my own opion.

Answer 8

Well, the best that you can do is put your credentials in the "source" section and hope that the questions asker will take that into account when making their decision. If you know that someone else has put erroneous information out after you, go back and edit your answer to deal with it directly.

Answer 9

They do it because they want to be right or assumed it was fine to take because they dont know what to take/not take when pregnant and they might have taken it when they were pregnant with their kid and everything turned out ok so it should be fine for everyone else to take as well so state your source edit your answer but tune out stupid people