10 Medical Missteps
In the more than 20 years I've practiced orthopedic surgery, I have come to recognize some common problems that plague patients, many of which are generally preventable. Here are 10 pitfalls to avoid.
The Narcotics Trap
When you show up complaining that something hurts, the easiest way for a doctor to get you out of the office is to send you off with a prescription for a pain medication that contains a narcotic (like Vicodin or OxyContin). The drugs are relatively easy to get and tempting to take, but you should never use them for chronic pain. Narcotics addiction is insidious. The drugs change who you are, and over time they make any and every pain worse. Stay away from them except in cases of acute, time-limited pain — and if you're on them already, work hard to get off them.
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