Imagine a situation in which you visit your doctor to discuss what you consider to be a serious medical concern. If you hear that it’s nothing major, you’re sure to walk out of the office feeling better about yourself.
Unfortunately, just because your doctor says you don’t have a major ailment or illness doesn’t make it true. There are a variety of commonly misdiagnosed conditions, including the following three:
- Cancer: Not only is cancer commonly misdiagnosed, but when this happens it can result in additional health-related concerns. The longer you go without treating your cancer, the greater chance there is of it spreading to other parts of your body. Some types of cancer are more commonly misdiagnosed than others, such as lung and breast.
- Heart attack: Sharing symptoms with other less serious ailments, such as indigestion, can lead to the misdiagnosis of a heart attack. Your medical team should run all the necessary tests to determine if you’re suffering from a heart problem, or something that’s not nearly as serious.
- Stroke: The symptoms of early onset stroke, such as weakness and dizziness, are often associated with other ailments, such as the flu. Just the same as a heart attack, your doctor should run tests to determine if a stroke is a possibility.
How to protect yourself against trouble
When you put your trust in a doctor, you hope that they do what’s best for you at all times. Even if you expect this, you should still take some personal steps to protect yourself.
- Seek a second opinion, if necessary
- Ask questions and don’t stop prodding until you get answers
- Follow up on all test results and lab work
- Ask for a referral from a doctor you trust before seeing a specialist
- Listen to your body and don’t give up until you pinpoint what’s going on
If you’re the victim of a medical misdiagnosis, immediately seek care from another doctor. Once you understand what’s happening with your health, learn more about the cause of the misdiagnosis and whether you’re in position to file a lawsuit with the idea of obtaining compensation from the negligent medical provider.
