Full Moon havoc, Myth or Real?

[Kilted13]

I've often heard people in various emergency professions claim a correlation between incident volume and/or weirdness during the full moon, and I was wondering what others thought of this

[MedFire]

Full moon weirdness is so true for 3 days before and 3 days after . The most of the calls come in in that time. Not to mention most of the Sec 12's are then too. lol

Ask anyone in EMS theyll tell ya the same.

[Ridryder 911]

There has been tons of research on this & actually shows there is NO correlations. Not non-scientifically, it always appear more freaks are out. I had a psychiatrist tell me once that :" when the full moon is out, the gravitational pull slightly alters the sodium level" patients that are on heavy salts such as Lithium, can have some mood swing. I don't know how accurate this information was though..

Be safe,

Ridryder 911

[emt_hound]

The moon is pulling on my lithium? Ouch! :shock:

[rocket]

I dunno about my neck o' the woods, but evidently the full moon has no effect on trauma in Iran.

credit: http://www.merginet.com/index.cfm?pg=indus...amp;fn=fullmoon

So Much for Full-Moon Theories

By Bryan E. Bledsoe, DO, FACEP

April 2005, MERGINET—One thing that old salty OB nurses, experienced ER nurses and gray-headed paramedics all agree on is that weird things happen when the moon is full. Although numerous studies have shown this not to be true, this myth is still told to rookie EMTs as a rite of passage (just like sending them to the hospital central supply for some sterile Fallopian tubes).

Researchers in Iran studied ED visits for 13 months. They reviewed data from 58,000 trauma patients admitted to the three biggest trauma EDs in Tehran . They found no increase in trauma visits during full-moon days. There was no increase in the assault rate on full-moon days. There was no reduction in the Glasgow Coma Score in patients presenting on full-moon days. Finally, the severity of trauma was no worse on full-moon days.

Thus, the incidence of weird events on full-moon days is a figment of our imagination. However, it is a hoot to tell rookies this and the practice should continue. Just like Santa Claus—it is best for them to find out on their own.

Reference

Zargar M, Khaji A, Kaviani A, Karbakhsh M et al. “The full moon and admission to emergency rooms.” Indian Journal of Medical Science. 2004;58(5):191-195.

-Trevor

[tunnelrat83]

LOL well the evidence may be otherwise.. however it sure seems that way.. or maybe we just pay attention to the weird stuff more on those day... but hey whatever... I shall continue the tradition.. :-D

[678 Responding]

Well, we had 6 seizures in one night with a full moon. Im 100% a believer. haha

[Richard B the EMT]

Perhaps it is not a scientific survey, but most LEO agencies try not to have too many people off during full moon periods, to the point of canceling leaves for full moon nights that are also Friday the 13th.

Also, on origin of the word? Where do you think we got the word, Lunacy?

[emtnerd]

I am a 100% believer in full moon fever. My children act strangely, either really good or really bad. I worked a shift at the hospital in the ER during a full moon and it was nuts!!

[grnresqjeep]

I say real! Don't forget the human body is partially made of water so there for lunar activity seems to have an effect. My own theory