And sometimes, that system works.
Other times, you’ll findyou have been misdiagnosed, or that thehealthcare provider may not diagnose your condition.
The Process of Differential Diagnosis
How does your healthcare provider figure out your diagnosis?
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Their thought process should work like that of a detective.
They consider these possibilities and how they could explain your symptoms.
They work through the list to rule in and rule out which diagnosis is the best fit.
This process is called “differential diagnosis.”
They may order additional tests or imaging to pinpoint the best diagnosis.
What Happens Next?
Most patients think the next step is to ask about options for treatment.
After all, they want to know how to fix or cure whatever their health problem is.
However, you may want to ask your healthcare provider, “What else can it be?”
Knowing the other diagnosis options and why they were eliminated may help address your concerns.
Understanding them can give you important insight into what’s wrong with you.
While your healthcare provider explains why they rejected each of the other options,listen carefullyfor additional clues.
It could be that the clues used to discard a diagnosis are wrong.
If it wasn’t correct, then your healthcare provider may decide to reconsider.
Write down the namesof the diagnoses your healthcare provider rejected.
