Why can't doctors figure out what's wrong with me?

An undiagnosed disease is one or more medical problems that doctors haven't been able to identify a cause for. Often, this means the underlying disease is rare — which is why no one was able to identify it.
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What is the most difficult disease to diagnose?

Top Ten Hard to Diagnose Diseases
  • Pulmonary Embolus. ...
  • Necrotizing fasciitis. ...
  • Vascular pathology in the neck. ...
  • Compromise of the spinal cord. ...
  • Ischemic bowel. ...
  • Sleep apnea and post-op hypoventilation. ...
  • Compartment syndrome. ...
  • Perforated or injured bowel post procedure.
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Why is it so hard to get a diagnosis?

The main reason it can be hard to reach a diagnosis is simply because a disease or disorder is so rare that it is unrealistic for a doctor to be familiar with every one of the thousands of rare conditions.
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How do you get a doctor to diagnose you?

8 Ways to Help Your Doctor Make the Right Diagnosis
  1. Plan for Your Appointment With Specialists.
  2. Write Down Each Symptom.
  3. Know Your Medical History.
  4. Bring in Your Medications.
  5. Describe Your Symptoms, but Don't Conclude.
  6. Be Specific About Your Symptoms.
  7. Ask Your Doctor What to Expect.
  8. Question, Question, Question.
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What doctors Cannot tell you?

What Doctors Don't Tell You gives you all the information you need to take your health into your own hands, exposing the true dangers of conventional medicine and offering up-to-the-minute, scientifically proven alternatives for diagnosing, preventing and treating many illnesses.
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When doctors don't know what's wrong | Peter White | TEDxColumbus



Can doctors tell if you're lying?

According to the WSJ, many doctors look for signs of lying, such as avoiding eye contact, frequent pauses in the converstion, unusual voice inflections and other signs of anxiety.
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Do doctors always tell you the truth?

Health professionals are expected to always tell the truth. This is based on the argument that, lying is wrong and disrespecting the person's autonomy is not right. However, this may not necessarily be the case, as the 'right not to know' the truth, should as well be respected by them.
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What do you do when a doctor says nothing is wrong?

In those cases, your doctor may do one or more of the following:
  1. Revert to “novice” thinking. ...
  2. Ask a specialist for help. ...
  3. Cram your symptoms into a diagnosis he or she does recognize, even if the fit is imperfect. ...
  4. Dismiss the cause of your symptoms as coming from stress, anxiety, or some other emotional disturbance.
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How do you get a doctor to take you seriously?

  1. Make a list of concerns and bring it. Unless your doctor has a practice like mine you aren't likely to get much face time with your doctor, so make the most of what you get. ...
  2. Prioritize your list ahead of time. ...
  3. Stay on topic. ...
  4. Repeat what's important to you. ...
  5. Go back once more.
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What do you do when a doctor doesn't believe you?

If you feel your primary care doctor doesn't take your symptoms seriously, ask for a referral to a specialist or go to a different practice for a second opinion. A fresh set of eyes can be extremely helpful. Review how to present your symptoms factually, clearly, quickly, and without unnecessary minutiae.
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What diseases show up in blood work?

What does a blood test show?
  • diabetes.
  • HIV.
  • anemia.
  • cancer.
  • coronary heart disease.
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What are medically unexplained symptoms?

Many people have persistent physical complaints, such as dizziness or pain, that don't appear to be symptoms of a medical condition. They are sometimes known as "medically unexplained symptoms" when they last for more than a few weeks, but doctors can't find a problem with the body that may be the cause.
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How do you offend a doctor?

How to Insult A Doctor
  1. Googling your own diagnosis, asking questions based on it and not trusting your doctors opinion.
  2. Questioning their judgement (the more experienced, the greater the insult)
  3. Asking to see doctors of a specific age, gender, race or sexuality instead.
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Which disease has no cure?

dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, advanced lung, heart, kidney and liver disease, stroke and other neurological diseases, including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis.
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How do you know if you have a serious illness?

Immediate medical care may be needed if a headache, vomiting, fever, or a seizure occurs along with another serious illness. Symptoms of a serious illness include: Severe neck stiffness or pain. Confusion or extreme irritability.
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What disease is the hardest cure?

Some of the common medical conditions of people requiring care at the end of life include:
  • cancer.
  • dementia, including Alzheimer's disease.
  • advanced lung, heart, kidney and liver disease.
  • stroke and other neurological diseases, including motor neurone disease and multiple sclerosis.
  • Huntington's disease.
  • muscular dystrophy.
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Can doctors refuse to diagnose?

Yes, a doctor can deny you medical treatment. Private doctors have some more leeway to deny treatment to patients than those in Medicare-compliant hospitals, but there are circumstances under which even doctors serving Medicare patients may choose not to serve a patient.
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Why do doctors dismiss patients?

Common reasons for dismissal

The most common reasons cited for dismissal were verbal abuse and drug-seeking behavior. Among physicians who dismissed patients, 40% cited verbal abuse and 40% cited drug-seeking behavior as reasons.
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What is medical Gaslighting?

Medical gaslighting is when a healthcare provider dismisses your complaints or concerns. They don't seem to take you seriously or blame your symptoms on a vague cause (such as stress). And they may send you home without a proper diagnosis or treatment plan.
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How often are doctors wrong?

Studies of autopsies have shown that doctors seriously misdiagnose fatal illnesses about 20 percent of the time. So millions of patients are being treated for the wrong disease.
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Why can't doctors diagnose my back pain?

While back pain is exceedingly common, it is equally challenging to diagnose, since there is no established guideline or protocol to evaluate this problem. Besides, the typical setting of a 15-minute doctor's visit is usually not enough to explain, understand, and evaluate everything that's going on in your achy back.
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What happens if a doctor lies to you?

You can sue your doctor for lying, provided certain breaches of duty of care occur. A doctor's duty of care is to be truthful about your diagnosis, treatment options, and prognosis. If a doctor has lied about any of this information, it could be proof of a medical malpractice claim.
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Can a doctor withhold information from a patient?

Except in emergency situations in which a patient is incapable of making an informed decision, withholding information without the patient's knowledge or consent is ethically unacceptable.
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Is it ever OK to lie to patients?

But in some cases, physicians need to balance compassion with a patient's right to know. It's never ok to lie or to mislead someone into thinking the situation is better or worse than it is. But it is ok to provide information in smaller doses.
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What are the 17 signs of lying?

Below, you'll find 34 signs of lying, as explained by experts and science.
  • They give way too much information. ...
  • They can't keep their story straight. ...
  • They put up a physical wall. ...
  • They're giving way too little information. ...
  • They're doing strange things with their eyes. ...
  • They're fake smiling. ...
  • They can't remember the details.
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