If you take a loved one to the emergency room because of the signs of a stroke, you expect the medical team to take your concerns to heart. Unfortunately, some medical providers don’t take their patients’ complaints seriously and may ignore serious signs of injury or...
Appendicitis: A condition that is often misdiagnosed
When appendicitis occurs, it’s a serious medical condition. In some cases, the appendix may burst, which leads to a life-threatening emergency. Appendicitis causes several common symptoms that a medical provider should be able to identify, such as: Bowel irregularity...
How often are doctors wrong?
You’re worried that you have cancer or another serious condition. Maybe you have been having trouble breathing, and you think it’s lung cancer. Maybe you have a suspicious spot on your face that could be skin cancer. Regardless, you go in and see your doctor. They...
Cancer treatments are more successful when caught early
No matter what type of cancer you have, the rule of thumb is that it is generally easier to treat -- and that treatment is often more effective -- when the cancer is caught early. There are a few reasons, starting with the size of the tumor or cancerous region...
Your risk of permanent damage increases when a doctor misses signs of a stroke
Strokes are among the most frightening and debilitating medical events a person can have. Some people experience a sudden loss of motor control, while other people have so-called silent strokes that don't present immediately obvious symptoms. When you know you have...
Misdiagnosis is common for some conditions in women
Accurate diagnosis of medical conditions is among the most important parts of a doctor's job, but misdiagnoses happen all the time in Florida and nationwide. It's a problem that can affect anyone, but women might be more likely to be misdiagnosed according to some...
Many Parkinson’s patients may be misdiagnosed
For many people in Florida, hand tremors or a shaky, stiff sensation when walking may point to signs of Parkinson's disease, the chronic, progressive neurological condition. Some people may even be diagnosed with Parkinson's on the basis of their symptoms, especially...
Study shows alarming misdiagnosis rate for childhood brain cancer
Getting the right treatment is important for children in Florida who are diagnosed with brain cancer. One type of cancer called CNS-PNET is traditionally diagnosed by the locations of the tumors in the brain and by looking at tumors under a microscope. A study that...
Detecting LBD
Florida residents who suspect that they or a loved one may suffer from Lewy body dementia, or LBD, should be aware that early detection can be a key factor in having successful treatment. People who have LBD tend to respond more favorably to certain types of dementia...
MAMMA project develops new way to find breast cancer tumors
Many Florida women have breast cancer, and it accounts for roughly 25 percent of all cancer cases around the world. Survival rates are comparatively high, thanks to advances in the detection of breast cancer tumors, but some tumors are more subtle and thus at a higher...