Your doctor may have been with you for years and to you, he may be the smartest person you know. Over the years you have trusted his diagnosis and you may not like to think that he doesn’t know everything.
There will be times where you feel that his medical opinion may not be on target and you think you should get a second opinion on the problem. Getting a second opinion is important as clinical diagnoses are only correct about 50% of the time.
When you are going for a second opinion you are not distrusting your doctor, you just want to make sure he is correct. Usually, your doctor will not be upset by your decision to verify his diagnosis.
He understands that there are new techniques that he may not have learned that will help pinpoint your exact medical problem. Plus, he may not be up on the latest strategies to handle your new health issue.
Getting a second opinion doesn’t mean you do not trust your doctor, it just means you want to make sure you know the correct problem. That isn’t wrong as doctors do make mistakes or they miss something when examining you. It is best to be sure.
When you need a second opinion
Obviously, if you are suffering from the flu, a broken arm, or some other minor ailment, you do not need to get a second opinion. The best time to seek new perspectives on what is troubling you is when your doctor diagnoses a major illness.
What follows are some of those times when getting a second opinion will help calm your fears, save you money, and keep you at home instead of at the hospital running up a huge medical bill.
#1. When you are diagnosed with cancer
This is hard news to take as cancer is very serious and the treatment is very difficult to go through. Many patients given a cancer diagnosis do seek a second opinion as cancer is life-altering for you and every member of your family.
While not always beneficial, a second opinion can at times be valuable. By that, it is meant that almost half of those diagnosed with cancer have that conclusion changed. That change is very welcomed.
Also, if you are diagnosed with a rare form of cancer, it may be best to get another opinion. The first doctor may not know that much about that particular form of the disease and going to someone who does have experience may provide you with a correct diagnosis or provide you with a better care strategy.
Cancer is a very emotional disease for everyone involved and your follow up care can be long term. Those elements mean it is essential you get a second opinion to make sure you actually have the disease and get all the information you can about treatment and so on.
Finding a doctor who has the knowledge you need helps you trust them and their care a lot more.
