Avoiding Misdiagnosis With 5 Health Tips

A misdiagnosis can put your health and life at risk, so it’s important to do your best to avoid them. How can you be sure that you won’t be a victim? There are a few things you can do to make sure you’re providing your doctor with the most information which and evidence of your care for yourself.

First off, make sure you know your family history of diseases and conditions. Remind your doctor that your potential disorder or concern runs in your family if it does, since this could prompt further testing.

If you’re not sure about a treatment plan or want to be sure your doctor understands you and your concerns, remember to ask questions. Doctors see many patients each day, but that’s no reason to be passed along to another doctor or appointment without your concerns met. Asking questions will make you more comfortable or could bring up concerns that weren’t properly addressed.

Don’t trust all your test results. Many tests can be affected by other factors, like medications you take or eating beforehand, so it’s important to retest for verification or other concerns. Some tests can be wrong 40 percent of the time or more, putting your health at risk. Many tests are open to interpretation, so your doctor needs to make decisions based on what he or she sees. You have a right to second opinion with the same or reordered tests if you don’t agree with what you’re told or believe you may have been misdiagnosed with a condition similar, but not the same, as yours.

Source: KevinMD.com, “5 ways to avoid a misdiagnosis,” Evan Falchuk, accessed Aug. 11, 2015