5 ms·

Ask your doctor instead of HN.

by throwaway2462 5y ago

jonathanstrange 5y ago
That's the most reasonable advice I've seen in this thread so far.
- bsaul 5y ago
  I wouldn’t be surprised if regular doctors are less informed on latest studies than some information-hoarding member of this forum. Chances are your doctor will only repeat the general advices given by state medical authorities, which are themselves probably heavily influenced by the sanitary policy of the day (which can themselves be heavily polluted by purely political considerations, depending on where you live)
  - jonathanstrange 5y ago
    The difference is that regular doctors understand in relatively detailed ways how the human body works, something most commenters on social networks have no clue about. Moreover, they meet patients who cherry-pick studies and medical information with extreme bias daily in their practice (thanks to "Dr. Google"), which together with knowledge of statistics and the ability to actually understand the studies gives them an exceptionally reasonable perspective on new studies in shifting medical domains and how to deal with them. I very much hope that my doctor repeats the advice of state medical authorities. In my country, the Covid pandemic has been handled excellently, despite having a comparatively underfunded and not too well-outfitted health system.
    - bsaul 5y ago
      i’ve had the personal experience of knowing obviously more about a disease than the specialist i was seing (over minor details, but still). It was surprising to realize how much a bit of googling on a very specific subject can get you, provided you have some general scientific background.. Out of curiosity: what country are you living in ?
      - jonathanstrange 5y ago
        I agree and have no doubt that a patient can on occasion know more than a regular medical doctor by googling. Like in any discipline, it's easy for laypersons to get some rather detailed, though often still superficial knowledge about some topics. But in my experience they always lack some depth of knowledge, the necessary background, and very often have the wrong perspective. I live in Portugal.

Ask your doctor instead of HN.

jonathanstrange 5y ago

That's the most reasonable advice I've seen in this thread so far.

bsaul 5y ago
I wouldn’t be surprised if regular doctors are less informed on latest studies than some information-hoarding member of this forum. Chances are your doctor will only repeat the general advices given by state medical authorities, which are themselves probably heavily influenced by the sanitary policy of the day (which can themselves be heavily polluted by purely political considerations, depending on where you live)
- jonathanstrange 5y ago
  The difference is that regular doctors understand in relatively detailed ways how the human body works, something most commenters on social networks have no clue about. Moreover, they meet patients who cherry-pick studies and medical information with extreme bias daily in their practice (thanks to "Dr. Google"), which together with knowledge of statistics and the ability to actually understand the studies gives them an exceptionally reasonable perspective on new studies in shifting medical domains and how to deal with them. I very much hope that my doctor repeats the advice of state medical authorities. In my country, the Covid pandemic has been handled excellently, despite having a comparatively underfunded and not too well-outfitted health system.
  - bsaul 5y ago
    i’ve had the personal experience of knowing obviously more about a disease than the specialist i was seing (over minor details, but still). It was surprising to realize how much a bit of googling on a very specific subject can get you, provided you have some general scientific background.. Out of curiosity: what country are you living in ?
    - jonathanstrange 5y ago
      I agree and have no doubt that a patient can on occasion know more than a regular medical doctor by googling. Like in any discipline, it's easy for laypersons to get some rather detailed, though often still superficial knowledge about some topics. But in my experience they always lack some depth of knowledge, the necessary background, and very often have the wrong perspective. I live in Portugal.