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2 Tips To Help You Avoid Getting Misdiagnosed By Your Physician

by Gene Vasquez

Many people hear about the horror stories of doctor visits gone wrong with physicians failing to make a proper diagnosis or failing to make one at all. Some never believe that something like that could happen to them, but the truth of the matter is that it could happen to anyone. According to statistics, roughly 12 million adults are misdiagnosed every single year, which is about one in every 20 patients, and approximately 50 percent of those medical error cases could result in severe harm to the patient. Although not always, in some cases, the reason for errors is due to a lack of communication between the patient and the doctor. So, to help get your doctor on the right path to discovering your ailment and to hopefully avoid a misdiagnosis, here are two things that you can do:

Don't Be Embarrassed to Describe Your Symptoms Clearly and in Detail.

It's nerve-wracking enough to go see the doctor, but then you have to tell the doctor about the symptoms you are experiencing, too? It can often be overwhelming and you may forget some of your symptoms or simply downplay how you are actually feeling. It is very important that you clearly describe how you have been feeling and describe your symptoms in detail.

If you are afraid you'll forget something, write it down before you go to the doctor's office. Make sure you make note of when the symptoms started, when they tend to get worse (maybe when you eat or take certain medications), what type of pain you are experiencing (sharp, dull, aching, throbbing, etc.), etc. It is important to be as detailed as possible in order to receive an accurate diagnosis from the doctor.

Don't Be Afraid to Speak Up and Ask Questions.

As you are talking to your doctor, you may not understand something that he or she is saying about a suggested treatment or something else that is being recommended to you. If this is the case, it is very important that you speak up and request additional clarification. The same is true if a medication that was prescribed to you previously isn't working. Let the doctor know so that something else can be prescribed. If you have questions about your health, ask them. No question is a bad question. You need to be in control of your health and the only way to be in control is to ask questions so that you are informed.

If you feel that you have possibly been harmed by a doctor's misdiagnosis, consider reaching out to a medical malpractice attorney in your local area for a consultation.  

Check out a website like http://www.medilaw.com/ for more information and assistance. 

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