Don’t hold back

Don’t hold back

Don’t hold back 150 150 Lauren Ellerman

I know, no one wants to sound like a whiny baby…. but maybe, there is a time and a place to let it all out.

Where is that place? Your doctor’s office.

Lets say you visit your doctor for knee pain – and tell her in September, “it hurts so bad I cannot sleep.” In October, for your follow up – the pain is the same, but instead of saying “it still hurts like heck”, you say, “it may be getting better,” or “its ok.” Well, thats nice, you have learned to tolerate the pain, but do you know what else you have just done? YOU HAVE REALLY HARMED YOURSELF.

Doctors need the full story – they need you to be honest about your pain, symptoms, how you are treating them etc.

In the above scenerio, your doctor might say in October “I am so glad to hear its better – lets wait one more month and then see where we are.” BUT if you had been honest and admitted the pain, the October visit would have caused the doctor concern, and an MRI would have been ordered or other tests run.

If you continue to mislead the physician, she will not be able to correctly diagnose, treat or test — postponing treatment for months, or even missing the opportunity for treatment.

So – the simple moral is – BE CONSISTENT and DON’T HOLD BACK. You want the records to reflect what you are actually experiencing, not just what you want the doctor to hear.

Share
About the author

Lauren Ellerman

In 2011, Lauren Ellerman was named "Young Lawyer of the Year" by the Roanoke Bar Association for her work in the community. To speak with Lauren about your personal injury case, contact her at lellerman@frithlawfirm.com.

Back to top