Anytime you have deep concerns about your health, there is immediate need to talk to your personal doctor. Communicating your medical fears clearly goes a step further in having your concerns addressed and receiving reliable medical care in good time.
Some people shy away from going to the doctor. The reasons for these kinds of fear are varied, ranging from; prohibitive medical costs, some simply have an attitude while others fear that the doctor may diagnose them with an incurable condition. However, it is good to know that some serious conditions such as cancer are better off if diagnosed early.
In most cases, patients and doctors are known to use different words to refer to the same symptoms. This becomes a major obstacle to effective doctor patient communication. Other patients tend to shy away from disclosing intimate details even to their personal doctors.
Whenever you experience health fears, remember that regardless of the nature of the disease, you do not have medical expertise to deal with it or make a diagnosis. A good example is that of a lump that may appear cancerous to you only for the doctor to diagnose it as a cyst. Only a well qualified doctor is allowed to make such diagnosis. This is the reason why all the facts about your condition must be openly disclosed to the doctor, according to experts at LifeStrength.
When visiting a doctor, you must be well prepared with the kind of information that the doctor might want from you. This can be done by either writing down or simply having that information at your finger tips. Always start by telling the doctor what is afflicting you, using very understandable language. Always state the symptoms no matter how intimate they may be.
It is good to identify when each symptom started. Let the medic know the pattern of the symptom, and if you have already taken any drugs for that condition or other drugs for other conditions. It is at this point that you should let the doctor know any other existing medical conditions.
After disclosing to the doctor everything about your medical condition and having answered any question asked by your doctor, the doctor will now be ready to start responding to you. It is your turn now to ask. For example, if he has suggested a medical test, get to ask about cost and what he is possibly looking for in the test. Get to know if the test is safe, if it hurts and when the results are due.
Immediately after the diagnosis is made and treatment recommended, ask the doctor about the possible causes of the condition. Get to know the definition of any medical terms that the doctor might have used.
Sometimes a second opinion is necessary after the doctor has recommended treatment. This usually happens when a patient doubts the doctor’s judgment or incase of serious diagnosis such as cancer. The second doctor can help you get alternative treatment or simply calm you down.
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