What to tell and what not to tell that is the question!

What to tell and what not to tell that is the question!

What to tell and what not to tell that is the question!

Some incidents to make the point! These and similar incidents keep happening to an average clinical practitioner.

So I had one patient who told me this
"My hearing got better with your treatment (he had inner ear infection); but when I put or use headphones for a long time a little loud, it starts to pain!"
"You should have told me not to use headphones loudly!"

Another patient had acute infection of his salivary glands with possible dental infection for which I had given him antibiotics and told him to take bland food

He came after three days with severe nausea and stomach pain; He screamed at me, "I have this severe pain ever since my 'drink' in the night! You should have told me not to take alcohol!"

Another one came to me with severe acute throat pain due to throat infection; I treated him with injection and oral medications for one week or so.

He came after five days telling that his pain is back and more severe! I asked him if he completed the course of medication and that he is still taking the oral medications?

He said, "I felt good in two days so I stopped after three days! You should have told me to continue or complete the course of medication!"

Another patient with severe dizziness came to me and was treated with something called positional exercise and medication. He recovered fully and came back six months later with another episode.

The first thing he told me was, "I was perfectly fine for six months! Then one week back I had the same giddiness! You should have told me it could happen again!"

The whole point of this exercise is not to put blame on anyone but to simply state the fact that every human in this world however great his or her action can be or would be; he or she is still a mere mortal!

The most important of these as far as your health is concerned is your doctor!

You must always treat your doctor as you would treat a fellow human being but may be with a little more concern and respect since he or she is trying to make you better!

But at the end of the day do remember that he or she is a mortal! He or she may not be in a position to tell you that you should not listen to loud music assuming that you may have the common sense since it is not a secret that loud sounds are anyway not good for you or any other person for that matter!

Your doctor may also not tell you all the side effects of every medication since that is counterproductive. He or she may give you additional medications to take care of common problems like gastritis or nausea but is it understood that when you take medication, alcohol is not allowed! In fact, no doctor in his or her right mind would ever tell anyone that alcohol is ok!

You must also understand that antibiotics and similar medications have a course which must be taken as advised and completed. If the doctor had asked you to meet him or her then it is your duty to follow it up! Half course and incomplete course of medication is actually sometimes more dangerous that not even taking the medication!

Finally human body is not a machine, and we must never expect that it would behave like a machine! Like we give our car for servicing and expect that now it would run for a thousand KM without any issues, that would not be the issue with our body! We must respect our body and age, you may get back any disease even if you get completely cured! Even immediately! Which is why every day is important and taking good care of your body is our life long duty!

Remember that these options and advice is not limited to patient only! Even your doctor has to follow this advice himself or herself!

At the end of the day, your doctor is your only friend who actually wants you to get better! That is the whole truth! Once your mind is good then you can handle everything! All you must do is trust your doctor and get well soon and stay well!

Dalai Lama says that “Our prime purpose is to help others, if that is not possible then just do not hurt”.

As a doctor I can say that this is true for all doctors.

Dr Sriram Nathan