Podcasts · Comedy · Health & Fitness
Sawbones: A Marital Tour of Misguided Medicine
Justin McElroy, Dr. Sydnee McElroy
300 episodes
Join Dr. Sydnee McElroy and her husband Justin McElroy for a tour of all the dumb, bad, gross, weird and wrong ways we've tried to fix people.
Episodes page 1 of 6
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Sawbones : How to Impeach RFK, Jr.
With the recent shift in US politics, there might well be a wave of upcoming hearings and impeachments for various government offices, including the head of Health and Human Services – RFK, Jr. Dr. Sydnee and Justin…
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Sawbones: Medicare and Medicaid
Government medical insurance is not exactly sexy, but it's an often overlooked issue when going to the voting booth. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the difference between the two, why one of them is controversial,…
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Sawbones: Horror Doctors
Horror movies and stories sure do have a lot of mad scientists and doctors running around. But should they still be practicing? Dr. Sydnee and Justin discuss Dr. Caligari, Dr. Jekyll, and more to see whether or not…
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Sawbones: Cinnamon
Unfortunately we can't have nice things. Dr. Sydnee and Justin must break the news that there is often lead in cinnamon, and discuss how exactly this has happened. However, they also offer advice for how to still…
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Sawbones: Lethal Injection
The United States public opinion on the death penalty has waxed and waned so much that its use is on a state-by-state basis, nearly dividing the country in half. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the history of capital…
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Sawbones: Glucose Monitors
Would people benefit from wearing a glucose monitor all day every day, even if they’re not on insulin? Evidence does not say there is a benefit, and there are some reasons not to get one. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk…
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Sawbones: Artificial Sweetener
Pretty much since the first artificial sweetener was developed, we've been concerned about their potential adverse effects. How could something 20,000 times as sweet as sugar come without a catch, and perhaps more…
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Sawbones: Dolphins and LSD
With an email subject line of "Dolphins and LSD", Dr. Sydnee and Justin just HAD dive deeper. Enter John C. Lilly, a doctor, scientist, and psychonaut who became very interested in meditation and expanding the…
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Sawbones: Catfish, Man of the Woods
All medicine is local, and little is more local to Justin and Dr. Sydnee than a medicine man in their own West Virginia. Dr. Sydnee talks about a local character named Catfish who became a sort of herbalist medicine…
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Sawbones: Sentinel Chickens
Sawbones' least favorite animal, mosquitoes, are back with yet another reason they suck: Dengue Fever has made its way into Florida. But don't worry. Dr. Sydnee talks about some very special chickens looking out for…
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Sawbones: Little People Hallucinations
There's been some social media talk about a psychoactive mushroom that causes visions of small people, like the Lilliputians from Gulliver's Travels. This is a rare but real phenomenon with several causes. Dr. Sydnee…
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Sawbones: COVID Reflection and Butts Update
While some people in power are trying to minimize how bad things were at the height of COVID-19, we thought it was important to document the real story. Since Dr. Sydnee was working in a hospital at the time, she…
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Sawbones: What’s More Edible, Paper or Cotton?
It’s one of our favorite kinds of episodes, making use of Dr. Sydnee’s expertise and Justin’s street smarts: medical questions! Why do we fart? How long is the digestive tract? Why are all minor mouth injuries so…
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Sawbones: Cyclospora
The food has been going wild lately, and none more in the headlines this second than cyclospora parasite which is causing an outbreak of . . . intense gastrointestinal distress. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the…
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Sawbones: Medicine Brand Names
This week, Justin walks Sydnee through the complexities of pharmaceutical naming. Join them as they review the history of the functional regulatory procedures, as well as the way branding and marketing has resulted in…
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Sawbones Classic: Sunburns
As folks in the northern hemisphere get back into the swing of summer we here at Sawbones thought it'd be a good time to reshare a classic episode about sunburns to help you get your D in the safest way possible.…
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Sawbones: Blisters
We've probably all gotten a blister at some point, whether from walking too much or from shredding a guitar solo. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about what actually causes a blister, how they are treated, and, most…
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Sawbones: Matilda and Telekinesis
Dr. Sydnee is joined this week by Charlie and Cooper, who are starring in a production of Matilda, and therefore experts in . . . telekinetic government experiments. The three McElroys talk about the unsuccessful…
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Sawbones: Kratom
Maybe you've heard of kratom, a substance being sold as a 'natural' energy substance. With its alarmingly growing popularity, Dr. Sydnee and Justin look into what exactly it is, what it really does, and whether you…
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Sawbones: Hantavirus, Part 2
The recent outbreak of human-communicable Hantavirus on a cruise ship continues to change rapidly and the U.S. continues to lag behind other nations in its response. This week on Sawbones, an update on the situation…
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Sawbones: Hantavirus
In what may be our most requested episode of all time, Dr. Sydnee addresses the hantavirus outbreak in the headlines, looks at its history and evaluates just how badly the U.S. is handling the situation. Music:…
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Sawbones: Can Black Widow Venom Cure Diabetes?
After all the listener support, it’s only fair we give back! “We” meaning Dr. Sydnee is giving back to the listeners by answering their medical questions! Can hanging upside-down cause lasting damage? Are hangnails…
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Sawbones: Milk, Part 2 - Government Cheese
Are you ready to lose your mind about dairy and look at your charcuterie board differently? Justin tells Dr. Sydnee all about the inflated demand for milk, how good for you dairy actually is, and how the United States…
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Sawbones: Milk, Part 1 - Lactose Intolerance
Why do some people have stomachaches when they drink or eat dairy products? Dr. Syndee and Justin talk about lactose and lactase to explain that it's really those who can drink milk who are the outliers and answer the…
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Sawbones: Vitamin K
No, not the musical artist who sang the graduation song (that's Vitamin C). Vitamin K has been in the news a little bit lately because it's often given as a shot to newborns. Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of its…
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Sawbones: Ranking TV Medical Shows
In celebration of Dr. Sydnee’s birthday, Justin brings a whole swath of medical show on TV since the year of her birth. From Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman to Nip/Tuck to The Pitt, Dr. Sydnee ranks shows for their accuracy…
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Sawbones: Medicine in Movies
Miracle drugs, strange side effects, classical conditioning: there are many films where the plot hinges around the existence of some unrealistic medicine. Justin brings to the plate the pills and medical devices in…
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Sawbones: Second Update: Havana Syndrome
Our first ever double-update, Justin and Dr. Sydnee bring an update to an update about the very mysterious Havana Syndrome. Not only is there kind of a reversal of the last update, but the cause actually COULD be a…
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Sawbones: Measles 2026
It's been a decade since Sawbones last talked about measles, and we don't often check in with an update unless . . . well, something comes up in the news. Dr. Sydnee talks about how the vaccine for measles was…
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Sawbones: Would a Healing Vape be More Efficient Than a Healing Potion?
The snow’s piling up outside so we’re cozying down with another batch of listener medical questions! Can I take all my antibiotics at once? If my twin has an allergy, do I have it too? Are prenatal vitamins good for…
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Sawbones: Carpal Tunnel
Carpal tunnel sydrome, or an irritation of the median nerve, is often thought of as a more "modern" ailment, exacerbated by 8-hour days at a computer and video game hobbies. Dr. Sydnee talks about the history of the…
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Sawbones: Sauna
Even though it's associated with Nordic countries, the Sauna has been around in many different cultures for as long as people have been trying to get warm in a hot box. But how about health benefits? Dr. Sydnee talks…
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Sawbones: Tear Gas
Right now in the news you may be hearing about the use of tear gas against protesters. But what exactly IS tear gas and where did it come from? Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the origins of this chemical agent, what…
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Sawbones: Mushroom Coffee
Another wellness trend that feels newer than it actually is, people have been looking for a coffee substitute since coffee was discovered (see: episode about coffee). Dr. Sydnee talks about the additional claims made…
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Sawbones: Colonoscopy Preparation
Back from his first colonoscopy, Justin outlines the extremely detailed steps he took in order to prepare for the screening: the before, the after, and whether it's easier to take four liters of laxative or navigate…
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Sawbones: Colonoscopy
In honor of Justin's first colonoscopy, Dr. Sydnee goes through the history of looking inside the colon. From Pompei to the Light Conductor to the more flexible tubes today, humans have always been curious to see just…
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Sawbones Classic: Nose Blowing
This cold and flu season, we're bringing you a classic episode on clearing your nasal passage correctly. Blowing your nose is maybe the only small glint of satisfaction had while having a cold or sinus infection. But…
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Sawbones: Hepatitis B
A trip to get an updated tetanus shot led to the realization that Justin never got a Hepatitis B vaccine. So Dr. Sydnee explains what exactly is Hep B, the recent headlines surrounding the vaccine, why do people…
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Sawbones Classic: Christmas is Trying to Kill You
A pre-Christmas warning, we're re-releasing our 2015 live show outlining all the ways that you need to watch out this Christmas – and not just from Santa's wrath. This week on Sawbones, Live from Huntington, WV and…
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Sawbones: The True Meaning of Candlenights
It's the most wonderful time of the year – Candlenights! Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about the plans for the upcoming Candlenights special, as well as the story of Harmony House and some of the myths and facts behind…
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Sawbones: Anyone Else Get Pee Shivers?
Cozy up by the fireplace with some weird listener medical questions. What's the difference between a disease and a disorder? Where does the extra blood during pregnancy come from? Did getting my gallbladder removed…
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Sawbones: Dopamine Detox
The algorithm strikes again, this time telling Justin about a popular wellness trend known as a Dopamine Detox. Dopamine is often associated with pleasure centers and addiction, and certain corners of the internet…
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Sawbones: Monkey Escape
Sometimes we like to have fun on Sawbones, like diving into a recently reported story of a truck full research animals who escaped and were infectious to humans. But what actually happened, were these monkeys infected,…
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Sawbones: Methylene Blue
Often pseudo-scientific medicine is brought to Dr. Sydnee by friends and family. But this time, she encountered methylene blue in the wild! Methylene blue is currently being touted as a cancer treatment, which is . . .…
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Sawbones: Do You Know About the Penis Fish?
As the weather turns, so do Dr. Sydnee and Justin to their inbox to answer more of listeners' WEIRD medical questions. Questions like: Can pee cure my foot fungus? Why do I cough when I put in earplugs? What is the…
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Sawbones: Leucovorin
Justin and Dr. Sydnee continue to bring news from the forefront of history with the second part of the announcement about autism – a possible treatment. It's leucovorin: also known as vitamin B-9. It can't possibly be…
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Sawbones: Tylenol
You may have heard the recent announcement From the US government linking acetaminophen use during pregnancy and autism. Well, at the risk of spoiling the episode, it’s nothing. This week, Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk…
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Sawbones: Dr. Asher
Another episode in the Sawbones multiverse, Dr. Sydnee and Justin resist Dr. Richard Asher, who is the person who coined Munchausen Syndrome. Dr. Aster was a prominent physician and critical thinker whose medical…
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Sawbones: Medical Update: Vaccines
With all the changes going on in the CDC, Dr. Sydnee and Justin check back in with an update on vaccines and vaccine mandates, as well as dispelling some common vaccine myths that unfortunately come up again and again.…
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Sawbones: Munchausen Syndrome
There are many eponymous disorders and diseases, but Munchausen is an interesting case of a disease named after a character who is based on a real person. Dr. Sydnee and Justin talk about Hieronymus Karl Friedrich von…
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