We all rely on doctors to be able to help us when we are sick or injured. Sometimes, doctors are unable to provide the level of care that we need through medical malpractice. Diagnosis errors are among the most prevalent forms of medical malpractice, and some illnesses are notoriously hard to diagnose.
Medical malpractice is the third-leading cause of death in America. A misdiagnosis can cause a patient to receive delayed treatments, incorrect treatments, or keep them from getting treated at all. Here are some of the most commonly misdiagnosed illness:
Cancer
Depending on where cancer grows, a patient can experience any number of symptoms, which makes it so deadly. A patient who has lung cancer may only present a cough initially, and the doctor may diagnose that as bronchitis. In the time it takes the patient to wait for their “bronchitis” to pass, their cancer could grow at a dangerous rate.
Vascular events
The vascular system is incredibly complex, and there are tens of thousands of miles of veins in the human body. It can feel impossible to diagnose aneurysms, strokes, and embolisms with so much to look through. A little blood clot hiding in the leg can make its way into the brain and cause permanent brain damage.
Infections
While it may be easy to look at an exterior wound and identify whether or not it is infected, internal infections are a completely different task. There is only so much that doctors can do to look inside the body, and relying on signals for signals may be the best option. Unfortunately, waiting for signs can be deadly in some infections.
A second opinion can save a life
If your diagnosis you and you do not feel like their diagnosis is correct, it is well within your rights to seek a second opinion. When something as serious as cancer, infections, or strokes may be at stake, make sure that you are getting an accurate diagnosis.