I still remember my accident like it was yesterday. One minute I was driving my daughter to school and the next I was waking up in a hospital bed. It was frustrating to deal with the emotional trauma of forgetting an entire week of my life, in addition to stressing about my small child. Fortunately, we were both able to recover, but it wasn't easy walking dealing with the medical bills that accompanied the accident. I found myself struggling with things as simple as answering the phone, because I was nervous about dealing with another insurance adjuster. Fortunately, by working with a lawyer, I was able to make sense of my situation. I know that you can overcome difficult challenges too, which is why I shared my story on this website.
Working Through Emotional Trauma
Secrets To Getting The Right Medical Diagnosis
Debra Hawkins
Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnoses are common forms of medical malpractice. As a patient, it's in your best interest to avoid diagnostic problems at all costs. Even though you can be compensated if your doctor's diagnostic mistakes lead to your injury, it's not worth it. Misdiagnosis or delayed diagnosis can lead to serious medical complications. Therefore, take these four measures to help your physician get the correct diagnosis in time:
Query Shocking Results
Sometimes accidents happen that result in erroneous test results. For example, blood samples can get contaminated in the laboratory and give the wrong results. These things aren't supposed to happen, but those who do such tests are human, and mistakes happen. So if you are suddenly declared extremely anemic, and doubt the results, it doesn't hurt to ask for a second opinion.
Ask Your Doctor about Alternative Diagnoses
Many diseases have common symptoms; for example, fever, fatigue, and diarrhea are common symptoms of various infectious diseases. Therefore, if your doctor returns a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection (UTI) after examining you and listening to your symptoms, it pays to ask if it can be another related condition. For example, if you are a woman, the symptoms that indicate a UTI are also the same as those that indicate pelvic inflammatory disease.
Write Down Your Symptoms before the Appointment
It is easy to say that you should tell your doctor all your symptoms, but it is not easy to do if you can't remember all the symptoms. Writing down your symptoms in a journal will help you remember them. You won't have time to write down your symptoms if you are suddenly taken ill and go to the emergency room. However, for those cases where you make an appointment with your physician, list down all the symptoms you can think of; include those that seem insignificant too. Be as specific as possible; for example, don't say pain, specify whether it is a dull pain or a sharp pain.
Ask Your Doctor about What to Expect
Finally, once your doctor is through with the diagnosis and prescribed the treatment, ask them what to expect. For example, should you contact the doctor if the headache doesn't reduce after a day? When does your doctor expect the symptoms to disappear? These questions will help you monitor your progress at home; contact the doctor if things don't go as envisioned. That way if the doctor got the diagnosis wrong, you might be able to get help before it becomes life-threatening. Click here to investigate more.
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