Misdiagnosing cancer in children
September was Childhood Cancer Awareness Month in New York as well as across the country and around the world. The purpose of this annual event is to provide parents and caregivers with information about the different types of cancers that children can contract as well as to raise funds for research and support.
Dementia in people under 60 often overlooked
Neurologists in New York must consider symptoms and neural imagining in order to accurately diagnose dementia diseases. Alzheimer’s disease is often presumed to be present in people exhibiting changes in behavior, language, motor skills and personality, but frontotemporal lobar degeneration and primary progressive aphasias represent two diseases that could also cause these problems.
Ovarian cancer and the signs your doctor could be missing
Women throughout the country are urged by their health care providers to get annual screenings in order to detect possibly deadly diseases and illnesses, such as cancer, before they reach their advanced stages. In addition, women are also encouraged to talk to their doctor about any symptoms they are experiencing that could indicate a serious health problem.
When to seek a second opinion
While New Yorkers likely have trusting relationships with their doctors, there are certain times when they should seek second opinions to make certain that the diagnosis or treatment regimen that has been proposed is appropriate. Health care practitioners sometimes make diagnostic or treatment mistakes, which can cause serious repercussions for patients.
Hormone linked to common ovarian disease
Polycystic ovary syndrome develops in roughly 12 percent of women and can begin during the teenage years. Although the disease is incurable, proper diagnosis can allow New York young women to manage their symptoms and limit complications such as type-2 diabetes, fertility problems and excessive hair growth. PCOS is a disorder of the endocrine system that causes irregular menstruation cycles and enlarges the ovaries with fluid.
Physician bias can play a role in misdiagnoses
Unconscious assumptions, also known as cognitive biases, can influence how a physician evaluates a patient. When someone in New York expresses a medical complaint, the physician might base decisions on that person’s race, gender, social class or sexual orientation. Factors like appearance, whether the person reminds the physician of someone else or the person’s manner of speech could all cause the physician to make a diagnosis based on assumptions instead of clinical facts.
Good communication can prevent misdiagnosis
Misdiagnosis is a very common medical problem in New York hospitals, and it is a problem that can have fatal consequences. Every year, 5 percent of hospital patients in the U.S., roughly 12 million people, are misdiagnosed. This is a medical error that is more common than mistakes with prescription drugs.
How to improve MS diagnosis
A group of 24 researchers studied 110 patients who were misdiagnosed with multiple sclerosis to better understand the reasons why. Of those in the study, 33 percent went 10 years or longer without a diagnosis, and 72 percent took medication for a condition that they didn’t have. This is problematic because some MS medications can have serious side effects, including brain infections, on patients in New York and around the country.
Survey shows heavy reliance on inhalers for asthma patients
New York residents who suffer from asthma are likely to use rescue inhalers on a regular basis. A study by Health Union shows that people may rely too heavily on rescue inhalers, and recommends that asthma patients consider having their condition re-evaluated if they find themselves dependent on their inhalers to get through their days.
New ideas may help treat breast cancer in New York
According to a European study of 6,693 breast cancer patients, it is safe to trust genetic testing when it conflicts with results from traditional testing. In some cases, the genetic test may suggest that there is a low risk of the cancer spreading while other tests say the risk is high. The study indicated that in such scenarios, women were just as likely to survive for five years compared to those who had chemotherapy.