One of the things that I come across is that my patients are very inquisitive and are always seeking to be informed. Here are the top three things they’ll either ask me or tell me during their initial session.
Number one, is that they thought the pain would go away. Number two, they want to know how long it will take for them to get better, so they can return to their activities; and number three, they’ve been to a number of different healthcare providers and they don’t really know what’s wrong with them, they were never given a diagnosis whatsoever.
So, let’s tackle number one. They just thought that the pain would go away.
Listen folks, if you’re having pain for more than three days, it’s time to go get that looked at and checked out. Also remember, that even though you may be feeling pretty good, it doesn’t mean that there is not anything wrong with you internally. Sometimes when pain comes about, it’s usually the last symptom to reveal itself. In other words, it is the last straw to break the camel’s back…literally and figuratively. You most likely had something going on for months before the pain even manifests itself. So, it’s always good to get an evaluation by your healthcare provider and to be consistent with maintenance care in order to ensure that everything is in tiptop shape. This does not include trauma, of course. If there is trauma, then you are will have pain that usually occurs immediately, evidence of swelling, and other things associated with trauma.
Now, let’s chat about number two. How long is this going to take for me to be well?
Here’s the thing, each person is different, not everybody is going to respond as quickly as the next. You might take two days or three weeks to get better, where somebody else might take a month or maybe or even longer, who knows? When you are dealing with pain/discomfort, there’s no set rule or regulation to determine how long it’s going to take, because there’re other factors to consider. The thing about it and the one thing that you need to remember is that, your progress of healing depends on YOU. Are you taking the necessary steps to help your body during the healing process? For example, how well are you sleeping? Sleep is very important because it helps your body recover at the cellular level, which is huge component to healing. What is your nutrition like? Are you getting enough vitamins, enough minerals, drinking enough water or eating a well-balanced meal? Are you following your rehabilitation program? The more consist you are in your rehab the better the outcome. All of these components (there are others), are very important when it comes to your healing. So, keep that in mind when you’re wondering about how long things are going to take.
Last but certainly not least…number three. You have gone to other healthcare providers and are not quite sure what’s wrong with you and you haven’t been given a diagnosis.
Folks, why are you accepting that? When you take your car in to get it serviced, it’s connected to a diagnostic machine. Then the technician or the mechanic comes out and says, “Hi, Sir/Ma’am, your car is doing XYZ, this is what we need to do to fix it.” Your car was evaluated, the tests that were administered lead to this particular cause and here is what needs to be done to fix it. Simple…right? What about your pets? When you take your pets into the Vet, you are going there for a certain symptom….correct? The vet analyzes the situation, diagnosis the problem, then presents you with the solution. Some of you are so in tune with your pets or your cars that you would never settle for blindly following a solution to the problem without fully understanding the cause. So…let me ask you this question. If that is how you feel about your cars and your pets, then why are you not demanding the same attention to detail for yourself and your own health?
If you have questions for your healthcare provider don’t be afraid to ask. Find out what’s going on with you, figure out YOUR diagnosis. If it’s not given to you ask for it. Don’t be shy. It’s your body, you have the right to know what’s happening, so be sure to ask questions and find out what’s going on. If you are given a prescription or a protocol to follow, find out what it is for and how is it supposed to help you. How do you know the prescription, or the protocol is going to work, if you don’t know your own diagnosis, what they’re treating or the success rate of this approach? It’s imperative that you know what’s going on.
Ask questions.
Be proactive.
Be an advocate of your own health.
Yours in health,
Dr. Erica ~