dyspnea

[The idea]

The book lists something on the order of 200+ medical conditions which homeopathy is ideally suited for treating. These include chickenpox and measles. Presumably the patient got these because they took Dr. Novey's advice, which he claims is "reliable" and "clear and factual," and used homeopathy as a vaccination alternative. They also include dyspnea [dizziness], hypertension, and asthma.
A quick search indicated that dyspnea involves breathing discomfort or significant breathlessness. Why is "dizziness" shown in square brackets after the word "dyspnea"?

[Rolfe]

Originally posted by The idea
A quick search indicated that dyspnea involves breathing discomfort or significant breathlessness. Why is "dizziness" shown in square brackets after the word "dyspnea"? I noticed that too. "Dyspnoea" means difficulty in breathing. I think someone just made a mistake.

Rolfe.

[Equinox]

Originally posted by Rolfe
I noticed that too. "Dyspnoea" means difficulty in breathing. I think someone just made a mistake.

Rolfe.

The square brackets indicate an insertion by Randi.

[Rolfe]

Originally posted by Equinox
The square brackets indicate an insertion by Randi. Well, he's not a medic. Anybody can make a mistake. And it doesn't really impact on the main point.

Rolfe.

[Equinox]

Originally posted by Rolfe
Well, he's not a medic. Anybody can make a mistake. And it doesn't really impact on the main point.

Rolfe.

I quite agree:) Just clarifying.

[thatguywhojuggles]

Isn't this amazing. We can sit here and discuss the fact that Randi screws up now and then--like most humans. If this were a woo-woo site, do you think such would be the case?

[Equinox]

Originally posted by thatguywhojuggles
Isn't this amazing. We can sit here and discuss the fact that Randi screws up now and then--like most humans. If this were a woo-woo site, do you think such would be the case?

Oh no! My perfect god Randi made a small mistake! What shall I do, with my entire world-view crumbling around me?!? I know-I'll say that Western, Allopathic Medicine has had it wrong all these years and dyspnea actually means dizzyness, because the first syllables of both words are similar. There, all better now, Randi's back to being perfect and I don't have to go rethink everything. Who cares if it doesn't make any sense.

:)

[Skipbidder]

I emailed Mr. Randi shortly after he put the page up. Dyspnea isn't a common word, so the bracketed insertion is understandable. He got the mistaken definition of dyspnea from a physician. He indicated that he would fix the column. I would expect that he is pretty busy right now with the upcoming conference.

Cheers,
Bruce

[BillyJoe]

Originally posted by Skipbidder
I emailed Mr. Randi shortly after he put the page up. Dyspnea isn't a common word, so the bracketed insertion is understandable. He got the mistaken definition of dyspnea from a physician. He indicated that he would fix the column. I would expect that he is pretty busy right now with the upcoming conference. [/B]How likely is it that a physician would give an incorrect definition for "dyspnea"?

I think it is more likely the either you or Randi is either lying or mistaken. :cool:

[BillyJoe]

Shipbidder,

From this week's Commentary.....

Last week I defined "dyspnea" as, "dizziness." Wrong. I had asked a person I believed authoritative, and he misinformed me. A severe cudgeling followed. It means, "shortness of breath." Which, when you think about it, might lead to dizziness…. Hold those cudgels! Okay, so did Randi say "physician" or "a person I believed authoritative"?


And Randi,

What's wrong with a dictionary....

dyspnoea

\Dysp*n[oe]"a\, n. [L., fr. Gr. ?, fr. ? short of breath; pref. ? ill, hard Difficulty of breathing.

Or, if you prefer....

dysp·ne·a ( P ) Pronunciation Key (dsp-n)

Difficulty in breathing, often associated with lung or heart disease and resulting in shortness of breath. Also called air hunger.

So, it can be spelled dyspnoea or dyspnea and means "shortness of breath" or "difficulty in breathing"

HOW SIMPLE WAS THAT?

bILLYjOE

[Rolfe]

From this week's commentary:It (dyspnoea) means, "shortness of breath."Well, it means difficulty in breathing. As opposed to terms like hyperpnoea or tachypnoea which refer to abnormally deep breathing or abnormally fast breathing. I'm not sure where "shortness of breath" fits in here. Certainly dyspnoea, hyperpnoea and tachypnoea may all be present together, but they may not, and this is the reason for having different and very specific terms.Which, when you think about it, might lead to dizziness…. Hold those cudgels!No, this makes me rather start fingering the cudgels. Whether dyspnoea might lead to dizziness or not is irrelevant, it does not MEAN dizziness. There is good reason for having these specific terms, and they have to be precisely used.

Anyone can make a mistake, especially if he has been poorly advised. But it's more gracious simply to admit it, rather than start applying sophistry to maintain that one may have been (in a certain sense) right all along.

Sledgehammer? Nut? Who, me?

Edited to add: OK, BillyJoe beat me to it.

Rolfe.

[mattg]

FWIW, the thing about possibly leading to dizziness came off very tongue-in-cheek, and I don't think for a minute he was trying to imply he had been right all along. He made a mistake and he admitted it.

[BillyJoe]

What mattg said rings true for me as well.

But I would still like to know the qualifications of the person he asked and why he bothered to ask him instead of simply using a dictionary.