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very day my patients
ask me questions-many have only a blank stare. Verbally they say, “Just
tell me what to do, Doctor.” Inwardly
they wonder what is really going on:
Why
is my back still hurting? Why is my ear
aching, my sinuses clogged, my stomach burning?
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he long reach for understanding and comfort. Just
looking at the human body speaks to its complexity. Yet each of us seeks that
simplicity of life where all our stresses and strains are balanced with an
optimal sense of excitement and enthusiasm.
Only when
we can’t work, are tired of being sick, anticipate a trip, can’t play a
particular sport, or see our parents or friends succumb to some well-publicized
illness - cancer or heart disease, perhaps - do we end up at a doctor’s office.
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t
some time or another, something triggers us to look in the mirror to seek a
clearer reflection of who or what we are, to ask if we are doing “it” right
or how we could do “it” better; or, less philosophically, Doctor, just get
me back to work, play, or whatever.
We’ve all heard or had some of the questions: But I’ve never had allergies before
... I think I’ll get my cholesterol
checked - My Daddy died of a heart
attack ... Should I change my diet? ... My
ankle’s never really been the same since I twisted it... My hip has been bothering me. “why does it hurt so much?”
Should I go to a chiropractor?
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he questions go on and on:
Whom
should I trust?
HMO’s? PPO’s? A doctor? Just because he wears a button that says, “Trust
me, I’m a Doctor?"
...And for that matter whom should the doctor treat?
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hat
do you mean,
‘Just look in the kid’s ear?’ Am I permitted to ask you whether he’s
been sick or had something stuck in there?” Hey
Doc, have you seen any cases of AIDS lately? And
by the way, what do I tell my wife (husband) - It will never happen again, you
can believe me? (I believe you!)... You mean, perfume
can lead to a sinus infection?... I’m over 40 - should I get a thyroid test, a stress test, a procto?... Why do I
have so much bloating? ... What
causes burning after intercourse? ...
Is life just a
case of honeymoon cystitis? ... Should
I have that mole removed? Will it turn to cancer? What
causes cancer, anyhow - chemicals,
ultraviolet light, food? My Doctor told me I have tendinitis,
bursitis, arthritis, myositis,fibrositis, myalgia, and neuralgia - What
are all these itises and algias? ... Are
there any side effects with anti-hypertensives,
antidepressants, antibiotics, antihistamines, anti-virals, or anti-inflammatories?
Why does my daughter walk on her knees at 18 months? ... How many tetanus
shots should one have in one lifetime?... Why did I get kidney stones, or that
sudden onset of multiple sclerosis, or parkinsonism? Should
I use “the pill?” Should I get a vasectomy? Is it psychosomatic, holistic,
homeopathic, allopathic, or naturopathic? ... Should I have my
baby at home? ... By the way, where have all the OB’s gone?
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ach
question has a story, a solution and -just like music - an eventual resolution.
Each generation builds on the strengths of the questions and from the mistakes
of its forebears. Our public health -from washing our hands to toilets, sewage
treatment plants, immunization programs, quarantine, standards of
Life
and death, cost vs. risk. Balance
- forever balancing the needs of society, the pharmaceutical industry, the
medical profession, equipment, liability, responsibility, knowledge and response
to human expectation – morality vs.
reality. We do the best we can
with what we know to help our fellow man; asking those survival-driven
questions, sorting out the common sense of living, seeking knowledge about cause
and comfort through attention; damned if we do and damned if we don’t, a need
to do something or nothing, affected
by environment, social relations, personal and genetic predisposition, and
belief.
Ehhh... What’s up, Doc?