What to ask your doctor..

Have you ever been to a doctor appointment and barely got anything out of it?

It is so freaking important to be prepared when you meet with your medical or health professional. They know a lot about your body and how it works, so if you spend $200 on a visit with him/her you should be prepared to ask questions about your body. Don't waste your money. Test their knowledge and ethics. Not all doctors care about you. Ideally, you should find a doctor who does care, but regardless it's important to ask them questions so that you can learn something and understand more about your situation.

There are a few things to consider when meeting with a doctor:

1. Understand his/her specialty

   1. Western Doctors base everything on research. They typically don't spend much time worrying about emotional health and lifestyle. They are also focused on treating your symptoms. The reason it is important to know this is because you might have irregular periods so the doctor prescribes birth control. But birth control could cause a lot of other issues such as long-term hormonal imbalances, microbiome dysfunction, etc. So maybe your periods are better but there are a lot of other issues but, technically, your doctor did the job.

   2. Chiropractors and Physical Therapists are movement specialists. If you are having any ache, pain, or discomfort in joints, muscles, or bones they should be able to correct your movement patterns so that you stop causing issues. Make sure that your chiropractors and PTs are giving your homework to do at home. If they don't, then ask them to. It's not there job to teach you how the body is supposed to move, BUT they will teach you if you ask. So if you go in to see a PT because of a shoulder issue, ask them about how the shoulder is supposed to work. Knowledge will help you fix your issue.

2. Understand that it is not their job to teach you everything. It is your role to ask questions and seek understanding.

   1. It's not there job to teach you how the body is supposed to move, BUT they will teach you if you ask. So if you go in to see a PT because of a shoulder issue, ask them about how the shoulder is supposed to work. Knowledge will help you fix your issue on your own time.

3. Understand that some professionals are chasing money. BUT there are plenty of professionals genuinely want to help, but they get caught up in their day-to-day. So be observant of your doctor's character. Try to only work with doctors who seem to truly care about helping you as an individual.

Here are some general questions to ask your doctor...

1. What is my exact diagnosis and how can you explain it in normal-person terms?

2. What medicines do you suggest? Is there a way to change my diet or lifestyle that will have a similar effect? What side effects come with this medicine?

3. Are there lifestyle behaviors that are causing my issues?

4. Is this illness/condition completely curable? If not, will I have to get a surgery at some point?

5. What are other possible treatments that can help?