ARTICLE - Misdiagnosed? 7 signs to look for

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Misdiagnosed?

Think your doctor missed the mark? Here are seven signs to look for if

you feel you’ve been misdiagnosed.

Arthritis Today

By Goodman

For 20 years, Frances Muller’s rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was misdiagnosed.

A neurologist told her that the pain in her hands was carpal tunnel

syndrome. An internist told her that the all-over aches that struck

about four times a year were the flu. An orthopaedic surgeon told her

she had bursitis in both shoulders.

“None of my symptoms made any sense,” and none of the treatments

helped, says Muller, who lives in sdale, Ariz.

An orthopaedic surgeon who ordered an X-ray of her pelvis finally

figured it out – after 13 previous doctors did not. He said there was

no way she could have so much damage to her hips and not have RA.

Misdiagnosis is one of the most common medical errors, occurring about

15 percent of the time, according to autopsy studies. And it can have

dire consequences, leading to unnecessary or delayed treatments and

physical and emotional suffering.

In rheumatology, where symptoms and diseases frequently overlap,

experts stress that even scrupulous, experienced and well-intentioned

physicians can miss important clues, and they encourage patients to be

vigilant, savvy partners in their own care.

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Read the full article here:

http://www.arthritistoday.org/daily-living/relationships/you-and-your-doctor/mis\

diagnosed-arthritis.php

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