5 Things Doctors Can Get Wrong

doctor with arms folded around chestThe truth?  Your doctor can, and probably will, be wrong sometimes, and there’s very little you can do to stop this. That is, other than protecting yourself with knowledge. Learn about some of the most common misdiagnoses below, and what you can about them, so you can potentially avoid unnecessary treatments, (particularly surgery) and feel better faster.

Misdiagnosis 1: Allergies
What it actually might be:

Vasomotor rhinitis

Doctors usually blame congestion, watery eyes, and serious bouts of sneezing on allergies, but unless you recently moved or changed jobs, it’s rare to develop allergies in your 20s and 30s. Instead, your symptoms may be the result of vasomotor rhinitis, a condition triggered by nonallergen irritants, such as perfume, smog, and cigarette smoke, that inflame your nasal mucous membranes, says Patricia Wheeler, M.D., an associate professor of family medicine at the University of Louisville. The allergy medicines you’re prescribed won’t provide relief.