Commonly misdiagnosed diseases

Misdiagnosed diseases are the most common and costly medical mistakes as well as the most dangerous. Each year in the U.S. it is estimated that 100,000 people die or are permanently disabled as the result of a misdiagnosed disease or a delay in diagnosis.  

Part of the problem is due to the fact that some conditions are difficult to diagnose because there is no real test to prove that they exist; instead they require a “diagnosis of elimination.” Another problem is that a lot of symptoms are nonspecific and variable, depending upon the individual presenting them, which makes it hard for a doctor to nail down a specific cause.

Diagnostic testing can be expensive, and many diagnostic tests are not routinely performed. And the results do not always provide a black and white answer. 

There are things that you can do to make sure that you get an accurate diagnosis. The most important thing is to work with a healthcare provider that sees you on a regular basis and is familiar with your health. Always consider getting a second opinion, even if it’s just to confirm the initial diagnosis.

Do your research and look for healthcare facilities that have people who are specialized in diagnosing and treating your problem. It is also wise to find a care center that has more than one specialist in each medical discipline so that your case may be reviewed by more than one doctor.

Have you struggled with any of these?

The following conditions are notoriously hard to diagnose. A diagnosis of one of these conditions is often the end-result of a process of elimination after exhaustive diagnostic testing is conducted:

  • IBS or Irritable Bowel Syndrome
  • Celiac Disease
  • Fibromyalgia
  • Migraines
  • MS or Multiple Sclerosis
  • Lyme disease
  • Lupus
  • RA or Rheumatoid Arthritis
  • PCOS or Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
  • CFS or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Serious misdiagnosis errors

While diagnostic errors occur across all health disciplines, research conducted by Johns Hopkins University has identified three major types of disease conditions that account for approximately 75% of wrongly diagnosed conditions.

  • Infections
  • Vascular events
  • Cancers

The most common causes of these errors were related to failures in clinical judgment including failing to order diagnostic testing or a consultation, having too narrow of a diagnostic focus, failing to properly evaluate relevant symptoms or test results, and misinterpretation of test results.

A cancer misdiagnosis can have devastating results to the life of a patient. Without a proper diagnosis of cancer, a patient may experience a delay in receiving life-saving treatment, resulting in a worsening of his or her condition or death. If the cancer is left to progress without proper treatment, it could result in additional health complications.

If you or a loved one believe that negligence in the form of a misdiagnosis contributed to the development of or worsening of a health condition, you may have a legal claim for medical malpractice.

Scott S. Harris, medical malpractice attorney in San Diego, has been successfully litigating medical malpractice cases for over 30 years in order to get the maximum amount of compensation possible for his clients.