Call the Doctor

Eight signs it’s time for a post-pandemic check-up

- Flannery Dean

IF THEY CAN avoid it, no one wants to go to the doctor during a pandemic. In Ontario alone, that reluctance has resulted in a 28 per cent decrease in primary care appointments. Dr. Amie Davis, a family physician in Hamilton, Ont., says she’s seen plenty of patients go silent over the last two years. At the same time, getting back into the doctor’s office can be lifesaving. Many health care experts are worried that pandemic-related interruptions in treatment, care and screening could eventually result in a sudden and significant increase in illness rates, particularly cancer diagnoses. Here are eight symptoms that should get you back into the doctor’s office—pronto.

You have an injury that isn’t getting better

Lower back pain and neck strain has significantly increased during the Zoom-heavy era of working from home. One American study found an 84 per cent increase in back pain-related tweets in 2020 compared to the year before. If you are experiencing back or neck pain and things aren’t getting better after you’ve applied heat and ice or rested, head to a doctor for a diagnosis and treatment plan.