Are doctors gods? Obviously not! My grandparents were among those who took what doctors said as gospel. Those days are long gone. The faith and trust in the main stream medical establishment is eroding rapidly. With the difficulty and time that it takes to see a doctor, the outrageous cost of medicine and medical procedures, and worsening medical insurance coverage, people are turning to alternatives in droves. Combine all that with the fact that the third leading cause of death in the U.S. is medical errors, and it’s no wonder people are flocking away from medicine.
When I cite these facts, it can be easy to think that I am anti-medicine. I am not. I hold medicine in the highest regard and am proud of our country’s medical success and capabilities… when it comes to crisis care. While I would never seek mainstream medical care for nutrition, exercise, sleep, longevity, or overall health and wellness advice, they would be my first choice for a bad infection, a broken bone, significant traumas, and bad open wounds. I also will use the healthcare system for advanced diagnostic testing if I am trying to get more information regarding certain conditions, symptoms, or illnesses.
Our healthcare system works hard to name conditions. They are good diagnosticians. With examination, bloodwork, diagnostic imaging, ultrasounds, and other diagnostic tools, medical doctors can be good at pulling that information together and giving it a name. There are more than a couple of problems with how this shakes out–the worst being that once a name is given to your problem, you are usually limited to drugs, surgery, and/or more diagnostic testing. Treatment usually aims at mitigating symptoms or managing the condition, while failing to correct or cure the underlying cause. This will also almost always come at the expense of adverse effects.
With our current medical coding system, there are over 70,000 possible diagnosis codes. This leads to another huge problem… doctors very often disagree on the diagnosis. According to a study done by the Mayo Clinic in 2017, a second diagnosis (second opinion) will match the first doctor’s diagnosis only 12% of the time. YIKES! That means that 88% of the time, the second opinion you get will be different than your first. I strongly encourage getting second, and even third opinions in most medical cases. When you get multiple doctors giving the same diagnosis, you can have more confidence that the diagnosis may be correct. If two diagnoses are different, then a third opinion is warranted for sure.
Because of the dangers involving our current health care system, you have to be extra careful. Utilizing a doctor you know, who knows you, and that you trust, is ideal. But this is becoming more and more difficult due to so many people having to change doctors because of their insurance, and also due to people losing their doctor because they either leave that hospital system or leave the profession all together.
Doctors are busier than ever, leaving less time and attention for you. Hospitals are more profit-driven now than ever before. And pharmaceutical companies have incredible influence over doctors and the entire health care system as a whole.
There is a time and place for medicine and medical intervention. I do not think you should run to the medical doctor for every bump, bruise, or sniffle. If you do end up struggling with something that requires medical attention, strongly consider getting a second (and maybe third… and even possibly fourth) opinion before embarking on taking medications, getting surgeries, having advanced medical procedures, or pursuing more and more medical testing. When a doctor tells you, “This is your only option,” what they usually mean is, “This is the only option I have for you.” And when they tell you, “This is what you have,” what they usually mean is, “I think this is what you have.” Your health is your most valuable asset. Get additional opinions!
