Barrier to health care

QUESTIONS: PATIENTS LEAVE OUT PERSONAL OR EMBARRASSING SYMPTOMS

- Hein Kaiser

Most of us visit the doctor when something's out of sorts. Colds, flu, something physical that's not quite right. But, said Dr Jonathan Redelinghuys, patients often neglect to paint a fuller picture or, for that matter, accurately describe what their bodies are going through.

Whether it's embarrassment, fear of judgment, or simply not knowing what to ask, the result is often the same.

It results in missed opportunities to address concerns that could make all the difference in someone's wellness. This reluctance is a critical barrier to effective health care, he said.

Many patients hesitate to discuss personal or embarrassing symptoms, fearing judgment.

“You'd be surprised how many of the ailments or conditions we consider unique to us are commonly experienced,” he said.

“We see patients weekly or monthly with similar issues.”

He recalled one patient who had endured painful intercourse her entire life, assuming it was normal because her mother had told her so. Another patient lived with a benign testicular lump for years, thinking it was a normal part of his anatomy.