Most people will deal with a misdiagnosis at one point or another during their lives. For example, someone who has blood work performed might end up diagnosed with anemia or another condition only to find out later that it was not an accurate test because they hadn’t eaten or prepared properly.
These kinds of misdiagnoses happen fairly regularly, and they’re a problem for a few reasons. In the above circumstance, a patient could end up taking iron supplements or getting injections. They’re costly, and depending on the true levels of iron in the blood, they could actually harm the patient.
What is important to remember about a misdiagnosis?
One important thing to remember is that the absence of a symptom doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have a condition. For example, you might not have the wheezing that generally accompanies asthma, but you could still have an asthma attack. How? If it’s progressed far enough, the lungs aren’t taking in enough oxygen to wheeze at all. That’s an absence of evidence, yet the patient is still in life-threatening trouble.
It is wise for anyone who is diagnosed with a condition to get a second opinion, even if the symptoms line up. It’s a good idea because similar symptoms can appear with very different conditions, so treating the right one matters.
Whether you’re misdiagnosed and told you don’t have a condition that you do, or you’re misdiagnosed with a condition that you don’t actually have, it has the potential to be dangerous. Make sure you get a second opinion, so you can protect yourself. If a misdiagnosis causes you more pain, delayed treatment or other serious harm, an experienced attorney can explain your legal options.