Crucial Questions To Ask Your Doctor
10 minutes. That’s the maximum amount of face time you get with most doctors, whether it’s your family doctor, a specialist, or a doctor in the ER. This means, asking the right questions could get you better care and might even save your life. Here are the crucial questions to ask, courtesy of Reader’s Digest.
“Other than an injury or arthritis, what could be causing the pain in my back – or in my joints?”Don’t ignore constant pain, because it could be a sign of a serious problem, like bone cancer, lupus, prostate cancer, Lyme disease, or osteoporosis.
“Am I having a heart attack? Can we do an enzyme test?” A blood test can easily determine whether you’re having a heart attack, because damaged heart muscles release enzymes into your bloodstream. Symptoms of heart attack include sudden pain radiating down your left arm, feeling cold and clammy, as well as chest pain on your right side, heartburn that won’t go away, a mild ache in the center of your chest, and shortness of breath.
“Could I be having a stroke? What about giving me clot-busting drugs right now?” If you have a stroke, there’s a 3-hour window where clot-busting drugs could save your life and reduce brain damage. So, if you have difficulty speaking, mental confusion, can’t use an arm or leg, or have facial paralysis – call 911, and ask the ER doc about clot-busting drugs.
Need to decide where to have your baby? Ask your obstetrician: “If there’s an emergency, what kind of doctors are always physically on duty at that hospital?” Not just reachable on the golf course or at dinner. Childbirth emergencies happen every day – and can put both mother and newborn in jeopardy. The best answers: An anesthesiologist, in case you need an emergency C-section, and a pediatrician – because even with a smooth delivery, your baby may need emergency treatment immediately after birth. The best answer of all? A neonatal intensive care unit, because those units are staffed 24/7 – and are designed to deal with every type of infant emergency.
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