Table of contents:
- 1.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
- 2. Celiac disease
- 3. Fibromyalgia
- 4. Multiple sclerosis
- 5. Rheumatism
Have you had any pain or symptoms in your body that are difficult to explain? To find out the cause, of course you have to go to the doctor. However, sometimes doctors also have difficulty recognizing medical disorders or conditions that occur in your body. In fact, its severity can cause doctors to misdiagnose the disease, although this is extremely rare.
Reporting from ABC News, dr. David Fleming, chair of the American College of Physicians and a lecturer in medical science at the University of Missouri, said, “Everyone shows different symptoms of a disease. Especially if what appears is not a common symptom. " In order to get the correct diagnosis, the patient must undergo various tests.
What are the conditions that often cause doctors to misdiagnose diseases? Check out the following reviews.
1.Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
Not all diseases can be diagnosed only from the symptoms they cause. Because most diseases show symptoms that are almost similar to other diseases. In order to know for sure what the disease is, it is necessary to make a diagnosis of elimination, that is, to rule out several diseases in order to find the most potent ones.
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), for example. IBS is a chronic condition that causes the colon to become inflamed and causes symptoms of abdominal pain, cramps, flatulence, diarrhea, or constipation. Many digestive problems have symptoms similar to those of IBS.
To establish a diagnosis, the patient feels at least these symptoms for 3 to 6 months. Men and women have similar symptoms, it's just that women will experience more severe symptoms during menstruation. The elimination diagnoses that doctors make for this condition include:
- Study your diet to rule out food allergies
- Stool sample test to rule out infection
- Blood tests to check for anemia and rule out Celiac disease
- Colonoscopy (a procedure to look for irritation of the intestines or cancer)
2. Celiac disease
Until now, Celiac disease is a disease that is quite difficult to diagnose. Because the average new patient is diagnosed correctly within 6 to 10 years thereafter. Celiac disease shows an immune reaction to gluten, which triggers inflammation in the small intestine.
People who have this condition will usually experience indigestion, especially diarrhea after eating foods that contain gluten, such as wheat. Other symptoms include itching of the skin, joint pain, acid reflux, and weight loss. Unfortunately, only half of patients experience diarrhea and weight loss.
In order not to misdiagnose, the doctor must first perform a physical examination and medical history. Then, the patient will be asked to do a blood test. People with Celiac disease generally have high enough levels of certain antibodies, such as antiendomysium (EMA) and anti-tissue transglutaminase (tTGA).
People with DH (dermatitis herpetiformis) - another symptom of Celiac disease - can have a skin biopsy. Small pieces of tissue of the patient's skin will be examined under a microscope. In addition, the patient may be advised to undergo an endoscopy to see damage to the small intestine.
3. Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a chronic disease that causes pain in the bones and muscles and causes fatigue. Reporting from Health.com, when doctors cannot find a cause for chronic pain and fatigue in patients, a diagnosis of fibromyalgia will be established. In one study, people with certain symptoms were diagnosed with fibromyalgia in rheumatology and diagnosed with irritable bowel syndrome in gastroenterology.
To get a proper diagnosis, the doctor will analyze the symptoms that appear in the patient. Usually the pain and tenderness in the bones or muscles will spread and continue for more than three months. There is no specific test to detect this condition, but blood tests can help rule out other conditions.
4. Multiple sclerosis
Multiple sclerosis (MS) occurs when the immune system attacks the body's own cells and interferes with communication between the brain and other parts of the body. Symptoms of MS include frequent numbness of the body, weakness, and tingling sensations. This condition can get worse or disappear over time, depending on how many lesions are in the brain.
Doctors may misdiagnose because the symptoms sometimes appear and sometimes go away. To get a proper diagnosis, the patient will need to perform several tests, such as:
- MRI imaging tests to check for any damage to the brain and spinal cord
- Lumbar puncture to find fluid abnormalities in the spine and rule out infectious diseases
- Blood tests and nerve stimulation tests to determine electrical activity in the brain
5. Rheumatism
Rheumatism or arthritis causes aches and pain in the bones and joints caused by autoimmune disorders. This disease can happen to anyone at any time, unlike osteoarthritis, which often appears in the elderly. Joint pain or stiffness can have many causes, so your doctor may misdiagnose it.
To detect inflammation in a joint, the doctor will perform a physical examination, which looks for swelling, redness, and tests reflexes and muscle strength. Then, a blood test will be done to see the levels of RA antibodies that cause inflammation and perform imaging tests to see how severe the inflammation is in the joints.
