/oss/taxonomy/term/3416/all en /oss/article/medical-you-asked/kids-colds-does-nasal-irrigation-help <hr /> <p><em>This article was originally posted in the <a href="https://montrealgazette.com/opinion/columnists/christopher-labos-for-kids-with-colds-does-nasal-irrigation-help">Montreal Gazette.</a></em></p> <hr /> <p>A friend of mine recently asked me if nasal irrigation was useful or effective for treating kids who get a cold. Apparently, the idea has become popular of late and there is much discussion about whether parents should try it when their kids get sick and whether the benefits of the procedure are worth the wrestling match with a squirming, unco-operative child.</p> Fri, 07 Oct 2022 10:00:00 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 9254 at /oss /oss/article/critical-thinking-health-and-nutrition-history/legend-wartime-placebo <p>Facts rarely get in the way of a good story. There is a foundational myth in placebo research that has been repeated over and over again, sometimes with inexplicable flourishes, often with the variations one expects from a telephone game. You have probably read it in a mainstream publication. It’s the story of a doctor, working in dark times, who cannot do his job properly and accidentally discovers the power of the placebo to relieve pain. It is such a good story.</p> <p>And it might not even be true.</p> Sat, 12 Feb 2022 03:06:02 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 9023 at /oss /oss/article/covid-19-health/placebos-used-vaccine-trials-do-not-please-everyone <p>Against what does a vaccine need to be tested in the context of a clinical trial? The answer that pops immediately to mind is “a placebo.” In the medical sciences, things get compared to placebos to see if they have inherent potency or if it’s all about the theatre and natural circumstances surrounding them. And because placebos are frequently thought of as sugar pills and saline injections, it’s understandable that some people look at vaccine trials and are puzzled as to why, in specific cases, the experimental vaccine was not compared to an injection of a saline solution.</p> Fri, 03 Jul 2020 20:24:05 +0000 Jonathan Jarry M.Sc. 8329 at /oss /oss/article/you-asked/why-can-i-taste-saline-when-its-injected-my-iv <p>Someone recently asked me if I had ever heard a patient complain that they could taste saline and medications when injected into their IV. Truth is, I had never heard of this before, but apparently it is quite common for patients to complain of a funny taste in their mouth when their IV lines are flushed with pre-prepared syringes of saline in order to keep them open and avoid clotting.</p> Tue, 18 Sep 2018 15:24:30 +0000 Christopher Labos MD, MSc 7360 at /oss