Did you know that about 12 million adults in the United States get misdiagnosed every single year? Misdiagnoses are incredibly dangerous and can lead to worsening conditions, or even death.
Have you ever wondered about some of the most common misdiagnoses and how can you can combat them? Here is a brief guide so you can be informed next time you start having unexplained symptoms of illness.
1. Thyroid Issues
Thyroid problems are some of the most commonly misdiagnosed conditions because they have many symptoms that are similar to other diseases or deficiencies.
For instance, hypothyroidism occurs when your body does not produce enough hormones to operate correctly. Some of the common symptoms include sleepiness, fatigue, weight gain, and depression.
If you think that you have hypothyroidism, talk to your doctor about getting a thyroid-stimulating hormone test, or TSH. Once you get a diagnosis, you can start looking at thyroid fatigue solutions.
2. Cancers
Similar to thyroid problems, cancer often has generalized symptoms that doctors might attribute to other conditions or nutritional deficiencies. In general, cancer misdiagnoses occur a lot of the time due to a lack of funding for pathology departments.
If you have several different doctors, they might not be communicating effectively about your symptoms. Therefore, they could miss some critical symptom combinations or underlying medical conditions that could indicate cancer.
Make sure that you insist your doctor gives you the proper tests for cancer, especially if you find a lump or any type of physical symptoms. If they refuse to test you, ask them to notate it in your medical record and explain why.
You should also ensure that your doctor looks for less common cancers as well. Sometimes the cancer is in a lesser-known part of the body and will go undetected for long periods of time.
3. Vascular Events
For women especially, vascular events are some of the most common medical conditions that are misdiagnosed. Many of the symptoms of these conditions are vague or parallel with anxiety.
Women have very different symptoms of heart attacks than men. For instance, women are more likely to have nausea, vomiting, and other symptoms that are common for sicknesses like the flu. This can lead to a misdiagnosis.
Another major vascular event that can cause lifelong damage is a stroke. People of all ages can have strokes, but because they are more common in older patients, young patients are often ignored when they have symptoms.
Learn All About Common Misdiagnoses
If you suffer from any of these diseases or medical conditions, it is vital that you get checked out for misdiagnoses. With this guide, you can have an informed discussion with your medical team and make sure that you get a thorough examination.
Want to learn more about how you can take care of your body and mind? Check out our site for more tips and tricks for living your healthiest lifestyle today.
