What??
Posted by dl-bailey on Dec 10, 2009 · Member since Oct 2008 · 286 posts
Just now, I was watching TV with my family. Someone flipped pass Dr. Oz for a minute. He claimed that ringworm was caused by an actual worm. I tilted my head a little and thought 'what?'.
As a former athlete, I have had ringworm and athlete's foot several times. I have gone to the doctor for it at least once or twice. Ringworm is not a worm. It is a fungus. It can only be treated with a fungicide. I was under the assumption that everyone knew this. Especially, a Doctor of Medicine like Dr. Oz.
I have never seen his show before. Is he always this misinformed? It makes me wonder about other doctors on television. Are they like this too?
Well, I know 'Dr. Phil' has gotten into trouble for claiming to be a Dr.....
I had ringworm head to toe as a child. We got it from a cat we adopted. Totally a fungus. If it had been a real worm, I'd have freaked out much more than I did. Not sure about the tv doctor thing though, I don't watch much tv
I really hope he misspoke...
Most definitely a fungus. I looked Dr. Oz up, and he is a doctor(unless Wikipedia is telling lies), but I wouldn't want him operating on me if he seems to not know something that I knew when I was in elementary school (A kid in my class had ringworm and told me what it was).
I really hope he misspoke...
He may have mispoke. However, I he may hat not. It was some segment were they two volunteers were asked medical questions. He asked someone if ringworm actual has anything to do with worms. She confidently said no. Then she had a confused and shocked look on her face when he said yes. Then started to explain how worms cause ringworm or something like that. I got upset and changed the channel. Didn't want to waist time watching a doctor that couldn't properly identify diseases. Probably, should have watched the rest of the show to see if anyone corrected him.
Now that I think about it, there seems to be many times that newsanchors also say obviously incorrect information. It makes me wonder if they really know this stuff. Or do they just read it off a telepromptor.
Does anyone remember when Wolf Blitzer bombed on Celebrity Jeopardy? He didn't even know the town Jesus and King David were born,. Though, he was a news correspondent in Tel Aviv for 7 years.
P.S. on his website it says it is a fungus. Don't why he said otherwise on the show...
Probably misspoke/misheard. There are a lot of "worms" out there: hookworm, tape worm, Guinea worm, pinworm... etc.
I love Dr. Oz!
Are you sure he was talking about ring worm? Because like dienekes said there are a lot of "worms" out there
I can imagine mis-hearing or mis-speaking 'pinworm' as 'ringworm'.
Okay, shows you how much I know, I though "ringworm" was an intestinal parasite, but I think I am thinking of "round worm".
Don't know much about worms, but I just learned a new thing, ring worm is fungus. Ha ha, not a biology major to say the least.