When you go to the doctor, you expect to be taken seriously and for him to help you get better. However, sometimes this doesn't happen. You may feel like your doctor isn't listening to you or that he is brushing off your concerns. This can be incredibly frustrating and make you feel like you aren't being taken seriously. In this blog post, we will give some reasons why your doctor may not be taking you seriously and what you can do about it!
When your health takes a turn for the worst, it helps to know that you’ve got someone who you can trust on your side and fighting your corner. Unfortunately, whether you’ve seen your doctor multiple times or once, you can sometimes get the niggling feeling that they aren’t quite taking you seriously.
In extreme cases, a doctor who doesn’t listen leaves you at risk of misdiagnosis and, if this happens, you shouldn’t hesitate to contact a medical malpractice attorney to hold them accountable. However, if this intuition is more of a (thus far) harmless vibe that you get during your appointments, then you might want to take some more immediate steps to prevent malpractice from happening down the line.
While it won’t always be the case, some doctors especially treat patients with skepticism due to certain behaviors that the patient in question might not even be aware of. Here, we consider what those behaviors are, and what you can do to turn things around if you’ve fallen foul to them in the past.
You Book Appointments For Every Little Issue
While there are certain signs when a man needs to book in to see his doctor, a medical appointment isn’t necessary for every single niggle. Certainly, booking up for every sneeze, sniffle, and virus is going to leave you on your doctor’s red list. In turn, that increases the chances of your doctor missing something by going through the motions even if there is something serious going on. As such, you should always ask yourself whether an appointment is genuinely necessary, or whether your doctor will be able to do anything about that cold anyway.
The Doctor May Not Be Taking You Seriously Because He Doesn't Think Your Problem Is Serious
It is possible that the doctor does not think your problem is serious. This could be because you are presenting with a minor issue or because of your past history with similar problems. If this is the case, try to provide the doctor with as much information as possible so that he can make an accurate diagnosis. You may also want to consider seeing a different doctor if you feel like your current one isn't taking you seriously.
He May Be Too Busy To Listen To You
It's possible that your doctor is too busy to listen to you. In this case, try to be as concise as possible when explaining your problem and make sure that you are providing the doctor with all of the necessary information. You may also want to book an appointment for a later date if your current one is full.
You’re Challenging His Diagnosis With Your Own Google Diagnosis
While it can be helpful, Google diagnosis is a real issue for doctors, with many patients incorrectly diagnosing themselves and refusing to listen to a doctor’s reasoning. If this is you, then again, your doctor may struggle to take you seriously, assuming that you’ve fallen down yet another incorrect Google black hole. Of course, it doesn’t hurt to pose your suggestions, but make sure you also let your doctor do their job, and listen to what they have to say instead of disregarding them.
You’re Downplaying The Problem
Sometimes, we can also downplay health concerns because we either don’t want to address them or don’t want to be a nuisance. Unfortunately, if you’re downplaying a serious issue, your doctor has no way of knowing what’s really going on, and no opportunity to take you seriously. Instead, make sure that you’re honest about things like pain levels, symptoms, and how a problem is affecting you. That way, you’ll provide your doctor with everything they need to understand the issue, and diagnose you accordingly.
You May Not Be Providing The Doctor With Enough Information
Sometimes it isn't the doctor's fault and he simply doesn't have a complete picture of what's wrong because you aren't able or willing to provide him with the full information. This can happen sometimes with embarrassing injuries related to sexual issues for instance or it might simply be a general failure for you to articulate symptoms and details properly.
A doctor who doesn’t take you seriously can be a significant problem, and seeking a second opinion is always crucial if you don’t think you’re being listened to. However, before things get that bad, steer clear of these mistakes so that your doctor doesn’t switch off!
How To Ensure That You Get The Treatment You Deserve
Proper medical care requires active participation by the patient as well as a skilled and caring doctor or nurse. While we often expect that the medical professionals will treat us seriously, it can be hard when they are working with a paitent who isn't prepared or willing to listen. Here are some ways that you can help make sure that you get the healthcare treatments that you deserve.
- Take the appointment with your health provider seriously by coming on time
- Make an effort to dress well for your appointments. This may seem like a superficial thing, but it will help show your doctor that you take the meeting seriously and aren’t there to mess around.
- Come prepared with questions and specific concerns written down. This will ensure that you don’t forget anything during your appointment and also shows that you’re taking the meeting seriously.
- Be respectful to your doctor at all times, even if you feel frustrated or unheard. Remember that they are the expert in this situation, not you!
- If you don’t understand something your doctor has said, ask them to clarify. This shows that you are engaged and want to get better!
- You're not taking their advice seriously by ignoring their suggestions and failing to follow through with treatment plans
- Researching potential issues online is a good thing but also listening to and respecting the expert opinion
- Don't come across as demanding or entitled, be relaxed and open to discussing the problem and exploring treatment options.
- Make sure you're fully honest with all of your health providers, this includes not only doctors and nurses but pharmacists, therapists, and other members of the care team.
- Bring someone along to appointments for moral support if needed this way if you get stressed or nervous they can help prompt you to get back on track or remember the guidance presented by your doctor.
It can be frustrating when your doctor doesn't seem to take you seriously, but there are a few things you can do to try and remedy the situation. Firstly, make sure that you're being clear and concise when explaining your problem, and provide the doctor with all of the necessary information. You may also want to consider booking an appointment for a later date if your current one is full. If none of these solutions work, it might be time to seek out a second opinion.
