Author: Foot Doc
Date: 2/18/2007 9:41 am PDT
|
Your appreciation is greatly appreciated. I make every effort to empower patients to deal with their doctors on an equal basis by first deep-sixing the notion that they are not allowed to confront them, and then by acquiring the knowledge from reputable sources which will allow a discussion on a more equal basis. I am, however, not a fan of most alternative medicine, the advocates of which frequently suggest that if traditional medicine advises it, it must be wrong. I am also strongly against advice from former or previous patients who are non-professionals, as all they can relate would be anecdotal scenarios with which they have likely had but one encounter. It's like the three blind men attempting to describe and elephant. Each does so from his own personal perspective, and each is likely different. On the other hand, their stories might be of value as anecdotes as long as they do not suggest that their stories parallel that of the questioner or that what had or hadn't worked for them will or won't work for someone else. But too often they feel some expertise in the matter when they have none other than their own personal experience. One would not think of going to a doctor with the knowledged that he/she had such limited experience. It's like motion picture stars being called upon to lecture on social or other issues just because they played some part in a movie relating to the subject.
Good luck on your future progress, and remember that accurate diagnosis is generally a prerequisite to effective treatment, and that doctor selection for good medical reasons and not simply their affability is key. |
|
