Often times patients are too nice, too trusting, and too easy on their health care professionals.
Some trust and hope is necessary. But please, be skeptical of your care. You are the director of your health. You are in control of it. It is your responsibility to get better. Healthcare professionals will do their best, but sometimes it isn’t the right treatment. Sometimes we can be wrong.
How do I know if my doctors wrong?
It’s simple. If you’re not getting better or seeing any changes. They might be wrong.
it’s fairly simple, it’s either working or it’s not
However, don’t become a cynic. Ask your health care provider how long it will take to see results and what you have to do to help make sure they happen.
For example, in physical therapy people often want a quick fix. But if their deficit is muscle strength, there is a physiological timeline. True neuromuscular adaptations take 3 weeks and musculoskeletal adaptations take 6 weeks. So if people are compliant with their exercises and don’t see any changes at 6 weeks, then I was wrong. We either need to try something different, or refer them somewhere else.
In this case, the worst outcome is the person is stronger, but no changes in symptoms. If this were surgery, the worst case could be unnecessary trauma and more pain.
Always consider the power and potential result of the intervention. It’s a risk-reward kind of thing.
So make sure to get a second opinion before making any drastic decisions (especially something like surgery or medications).