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Trepanation is the ancient practice of drilling holes into the skull, and it’s been done for thousands of years across various cultures—seriously, since like the Stone Age. Why, you ask? Well, it was believed to cure seizures, migraines, and mental disorders, among other ailments. But here’s the freaky part: evidence suggests that plenty of people SURVIVED this procedure, as healed-over holes in skulls found by archaeologists show. And get this—some people still swear by its benefits today! Not gonna lie, the thought of someone taking a power tool to my noggin for 'health benefits' gives me the heebie-jeebies!
Submitted 10 months, 1 week ago by MadAboutMedicine
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Imagine ancient trepanation as the original 'letting some air into your thoughts.' But on a serious note, the fact that this practice was performed in different cultures independently is mind-boggling (pun definitely intended). Also, not to be that guy, but isn't modern neurosurgery just a super-advanced version of trepanation?
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To add a bit of depth here: some anthropologists argue trepanation was also potentially used as a sort of rite of passage or even to release evil spirits believed to be trapped inside the head. And despite the 'ick' factor, it's incredible that evidence suggests survival rates were high enough to leave us questioning and learning about it today. This needs more research to fully uncover the societal role of the practice.
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Coming from a modern medical perspective, it's hard to grasp the idea behind trepanation without cringing. But if you think about it, trepanation and some current medical procedures might share a common rationale—relieving pressure is a basic principle. Obviously, we've refined our methods to prevent infections and further injury, but the goal isn't too far off. It's a testament to the human desire to understand and fix the body, however rudimentary the beginning attempts were.
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It's pretty wild to think about trepanation as a form of ancient brain surgery. Some researchers claim it might have been done to relieve pressure from bleeding underneath the skull after a head injury. Can you imagine? Stone Age tech meets neurological intervention! And what's even crazier is that in some cases, they didn't just make one hole; they made several! Insane resilience or what?
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