When you are suffering from an adverse health condition, especially a severe illness or disorder, you should seek immediate medical attention. However, even when you do that, doctors’ negligence can result in delayed treatment. During this time you can become even sicker and perhaps past the ability to even respond to treatment.
On the other hand, there is a thin line between waiting for a second opinion and delayed treatment. In some cases, if you are misdiagnosed, the treatment that you receive for your supposed condition can be dangerous no matter if you receive it immediately or if it is delayed. Thus, when you are diagnosed with a serious health condition, you should always consider taking the time to get a second opinion rather than push forward to get treatment as soon as possible.
Once you are sure of your diagnosis, though, you should receive the proper treatment immediately. Doctors undergo years of education and training so that they can correctly identify disorders and prescribe the proper care. This is important because some powerful treatments, like chemotherapy or strong antibiotics, can weaken your body even as they attack the source of your problem.
Thus, you can suffer from delayed treatment if a doctor fails to recognize your disorder. Additionally, if a medical facility refuses to take you, it can cost you time in getting the treatment you need. Lastly, if you go to the emergency room for treatment, the nurses must correctly triage your injuries and determine if you actually need emergency treatment or not. In cases like this, if you are sent to the wrong unit, it can also take more time before you are treated.
Delay in treatment may not be too dangerous in the case of something like a mild cough or cold. Often, these are caused by viruses that can’t be treated with medication. However, with more serious issues such as strokes and brain trauma, the few hours of delay in getting treatment can result in permanent health issues. For instance, if you hit your head and the doctor diagnoses brain trauma, he should monitor the swelling inside and perhaps administer medications or even perform surgery to keep the blood from pooling up inside your skull. The problem with pooled blood is that it puts pressure on your brain. Prolonged pressure can kill off areas of brain tissue, resulting in lifelong brain damage.