Patriarchy in Medicine

Anybody ever feel this way when they go to the Doctor?

Truth be told, no one is immune to it. It doesn’t matter if you’re a doctor or a patient. It doesn’t matter if there’s an acute crisis, or your condition has been going on for a long time; whether they know exactly what’s wrong with you – or don’t have a clue.

It doesn’t matter how old you are – although some populations seem to be more affected than others.

There isn’t a day that goes by when I don’t read something on social media where someone has been ignored, gaslit, or dismissed by a healthcare practitioner.

People refused therapies that will dramatically improve, if not save their lives – based on antiquated or flat-out WRONG information; patients denied testing that would diagnose their chronic conditions; or the best approach for treatment ignored because something else is just easier for the practitioner.

None of this is ok.

So, let’s talk about it.

There is no way to be a part of the current medical model without being your own advocate and INSISTING that you be heard. It takes a certain amount of guts to do this – I’m not going to lie. Bold. We have to be bold. And, as a practitioner (and a patient), I’m absolutely no different. I fight this battle myself, and I also struggle with finding practitioners for the issues that I don’t manage myself.

Everyone wants to be acknowledged, heard, and cared for – and they deserve just that… especially in their medical care.

How do I know that I’m being heard?

Well, that’s a great question. Do you FEEL heard? Is your practitioner listening to you? Are you given the opportunity to express yourself? To describe what’s going on with you? And not just right that day – but what’s been going on with you over the course of your life – or at least since the issue that you’re dealing with now started? To list your concerns? What you’ve tried so far? What you’re open to trying and what you’re not? And also WHY?

So many practitioners will dismiss concerns as neuroses or “Dr Googling” when there are legitimate reasons why patients have certain issues. Some will even become defensive when people try to express themselves. I have found that this happens when they either don’t care to spend the time or don’t have the knowledge-base and aren’t willing to educate themselves. Remember that YOU are the expert of your own body.

What about testing?

Unless the problem is obvious (i.e. in the emergency room and you’re suddenly missing a limb – obvious), if no testing has been performed and a diagnosis is given, something is missing. Every condition requires testing. There’s a mantra in functional medicine:“Test. Don’t Guess.”�If no investigation has taken place, there’s no way of knowing what’s wrong. Different conditions mimic others. Root causes vary.

Diagnosis by symptoms alone is irresponsible.

This goes back, however, to getting the opportunity to explain what’s going on with you. When a practitioner takes a detailed history, asks and gets questions answered, a LOT of information gets shared. Much of the time, it becomes obvious what testing is needed and what the likely condition/origin of the condition might be. But, that’s not always the case.

We test to confirm root cause. Sometimes it’s not so obvious, and we need to dig deeper. Maybe there’s a first and second (and sometimes third) round of testing to get things nailed down. One cause can mask another. Sometimes underlying conditions are hiding. Genetics are notorious in this regard. But, there are no snap judgments. While your practitioner MIGHT be right with their first judgment – testing to confirm is absolutely necessary. If some form of treatment is given without testing, chances are that treatment is a band-aid, and not addressing root cause.

How do I know that what I’m being offered is the best treatment (for me)?

This is slightly harder to address. I cannot stress this enough. There is NO “one size fits all” treatment – for ANYTHING. This applies to functional medicine as well. A good practitioner is not only willing, but able to adjust their treatments to YOUR needs.
Even if the principles are the same or similar, each body accepts things differently. One body might be able to handle a certain supplement or nutritional plan for the “same” condition, that another body cannot tolerate at all. Whether you’re in a situation where a standard prescription is given for your “condition”, or you’ve been given a diagnosis with very little testing and a protocol to follow, it doesn’t really matter. Chances are, that’s not the right path for you. No two people live the same life. No two people have been exposed to the same chemistry or life circumstances with exactly the same genetics (even ‘identical’ twins).

Each body is different. Each person is different.

We are fighting a battle.

The current medical model follows old, outdated, often incorrect information. Practitioners are limited by their willingness to participate – whether it’s by their own desire or insurance restrictions/requirements. They’re also limited by their knowledge base, or “tool box”.
If your practitioner isn’t constantly reading non-partisan (i.e. not supplied by a drug company) information, participating in more than the required continuing medical education, and spending time and effort on your care, then they’re not working for and with you.

Patient advocacy is a thing. And it’s important.

More on this later…..