How To Have A Successful Relationship With Your Doctor
You may talk to your best friend about your emotional concerns; complain to your mother or your spouse when you don't feel well, but then clam up when you are in the office with your doctor. It can be hard to open up and have a successful relationship with your doctor because it can be hard to tell someone who is a relative stranger about how we are feeling. When you go to see what is wrong, or just for an overall checkup, it is important to speak up and ask the questions you have floating around in your mind. You are going to enjoy better health and healing if you learn how to talk to your health care professionals.
If you have an embarrassing medical problem, it can be hard to call and go in to see someone for help. What you have to remember is that some problems, while potentially hard to talk about, could be signs of a serious health issues. You have to find a way to get over your embarrassment and speak up for a successful relationship. Your health depends on it. You have to remind yourself that there is rarely anything you can say to your doctor that they have not heard or seen before. They are not going to gossip about you at the local club – they are going to help you get better.
Once you get into the office, the next part of having a successful relationship with your doctor is to ask questions. You may be like many people in that you forget what you wanted to ask, or perhaps you are overwhelmed by your diagnosis and you don't know what to say right away. Make a list of what you want to ask before you go, and ask when you can call with follow up questions in case they come to mind before your next appointment, if you have one. This allows you to ask what you need to know and may help you relax. It also builds and reinforces a successful relationship.
You must also learn to speak up when you do not understand what your doctor is saying. You may make a mental note to look up something when you get home, but quite honestly, your doctor is a much better source for information than the Internet. If you have worked to build a successful relationship with your doctor, they may soon learn to pause when you look puzzled to further explain. If you have a doctor that refuses, get a new one. Also remember that good doctors come from other countries, but if you simply can not understand them, you may have to find another.
Some people simply avoid questions because they know their doctors are busy. Some make a show of being halfway out of the room before they give advice or offer a diagnosis. You can not have a successful relationship with your doctor if they are not giving you the time you need. Remember, you are paying them to take care of you. Make it clear that you have questions or that you don't think five minutes of face time is enough for you. It's your health, so speak up and make the most of your medical care.
