In many Nigerian homes, health advice is passed down from one generation to another.

Some of it is helpful. Some of it is harmless.

But some seemingly innocent beliefs can lead to delayed diagnosis, unnecessary medication, and the wrong treatment.

Here are four common health myths worth reconsidering, and what laboratory science tells us instead.

Myth 1: “I feel fine, so I don’t need medical tests.”

Fact: Feeling healthy doesn’t always mean everything is healthy.

Some health conditions can develop quietly, with few or no noticeable symptoms in their early stages.

A person may feel completely normal while certain blood, urine, or other laboratory parameters are already outside the expected range.

That is one reason routine health checks can be valuable. They can provide objective information about what’s happening inside the body, not just how you feel on the outside.

Depending on your age, risk factors, and medical history, appropriate screening may help identify problems earlier, when they may be easier to manage.

Don’t wait until your body starts shouting before you listen.

Myth 2: “The medicine worked last time, so I’ll just take it again.”

Fact: The same symptoms don’t always mean the same illness.

This is particularly common when someone develops symptoms such as fever, weakness, cough, stomach discomfort, or body aches.

“I had this before and this drug worked” can feel like a reasonable solution.

But symptoms are clues, not diagnoses.

A fever, for example, can have several possible causes. Even when two illnesses produce similar symptoms, the appropriate treatment may be completely different.

Taking medication based solely on a previous experience can therefore mean treating the wrong condition, or delaying the right treatment.

When testing is appropriate, laboratory results can help provide evidence for what may actually be happening.

Don’t treat a familiar symptom with an old prescription. Find out what’s causing it.

Myth 3: “Antibiotics work for every infection.”

Fact: Antibiotics are designed to treat bacterial infections, not viral infections.

This is one of the most important misconceptions to correct.

Not every infection requires an antibiotic. Using antibiotics when they aren’t needed exposes people to unnecessary medication and can contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).

And even when an infection is bacterial, the question isn’t simply:

“Which antibiotic is strongest?”

The better question is:

“Which antibiotic is appropriate for this organism?”

For certain bacterial infections, laboratory testing such as culture and antimicrobial susceptibility testing can help identify the organism and determine which antibiotics are likely to be effective.

That information can be particularly valuable when an infection is persistent, recurrent, or not responding to initial treatment.

The goal isn’t the strongest antibiotic. It’s the right treatment.

Myth 4: “Once the symptoms disappear, the infection is definitely gone.”

Fact: Feeling better doesn’t always prove that the underlying problem has been completely resolved.

Symptoms are important, but they don’t always tell the whole story.

Some treatments can reduce symptoms while the underlying condition still requires attention. In other situations, symptoms may disappear naturally even though further evaluation or follow-up is appropriate.

This doesn’t mean everyone needs a repeat laboratory test whenever they feel better.

It means that symptom improvement and complete resolution are not always the same thing.

Where follow-up testing is recommended by a healthcare professional, completing it can provide useful confirmation that treatment has achieved its intended outcome.

The Problem With Guessing

Healthcare decisions shouldn’t be based entirely on how we feel, what worked for someone else, or what worked the last time.

Your symptoms matter. Your medical history matters. And when appropriate, laboratory evidence matters too.

Laboratory testing can help healthcare professionals move from “we think this might be the problem” toward a more evidence-based understanding of what is happening.

That can mean avoiding unnecessary medication, identifying infections more accurately, monitoring treatment, or detecting health problems earlier.

Test. Know. Act.

The next time you hear:

“I feel fine.”
“Just take what you took last time.”
“Use antibiotics; they work for infections.”
“The symptoms are gone, so you’re cured.”

Pause before accepting it as fact.

Good health decisions are better when they’re based on evidence, not assumptions.

At Agape Laboratories Services, we believe laboratory science should help people and healthcare professionals make informed decisions with confidence.

Don’t guess with your health. Test. Know. Act.