[______-_-______]

That's an interesting perspective. When it comes to medicine, I usually have no idea whether there might be a "simple fix" for some problem. If I ask my doctor about something small, I expect he would just say "yeah, you're getting old" and then bill me $300. So I don't bother. Maybe end users think similarly.

[gigaflop]

This is America[0], healthcare is a privilege. Unless you're dying, you should never call an ambulance, and should keep an up-to-date list of what hospitals accept your insurance. And, if the doctor is going to prescribe you something, go on your insurance provider's site and see if it or the formulary are covered.

But seriously, how hard should I be expected to think when something seems medically 'off'? My left wrist has been a little 'off' for a few weeks, but WebMD says it shouldn't be carpal tunnel. Instead of seeing a doctor, I'll just google some more and see what I can do myself.

[0] Where applicable

[Swizec]

> My left wrist has been a little 'off' for a few weeks

The other side of this is that doctors in america lean heavy towards interventionism. If you go see a doctor, they will do something. Useful or not.

An american doctor will never, for example, say “Hey maybe your chair is too low compared to your desk and you’re putting too much pressure on your wrist” or suggest a series of stretching exercises to do 3x/day for a few weeks until the discomfort goes away. The best you can expect from a doctor is “eh it’s not bad enough for surgery yet, come back in a few years. Take advil or something idk”

I remember going in for a persistent cough. After 5 minutes the doctor decided “this is post nasal drip” (my nose drains into my throat instead of making me sniffly) and prescribed some medicine to take. And I’m like … yo this problem isn’t bad enough to need fixing, I just wanted to know what’s up. Too much intervention can easily make things worse.

When you have an acute problem that’s when american healthcare shines. Chronic and minor stuff, not so much.

[nix0n]

> An american doctor will never, for example, say “Hey maybe your chair is too low compared to your desk and you’re putting too much pressure on your wrist” or suggest a series of stretching exercises to do 3x/day for a few weeks until the discomfort goes away.

A (good) chiropractor will do the first, and a physical therapist will do the second.

You're right about regular MDs though.

[gs17]

Yes, I saw a chiropractor for a while and their immediate advice was to get a better chair and a standing desk, plus some stretches, because I had "grad student syndrome".

[2143]

> An american doctor will never, for example, say “Hey maybe your chair is too low compared to your desk and you’re putting too much pressure on your wrist” or suggest a series of stretching exercises to do 3x/day for a few weeks until the discomfort goes away. The best you can expect from a doctor is “eh it’s not bad enough for surgery yet, come back in a few years. Take advil or something idk”

Not my experience. I've had doctors that recommended I do stretch exercises for a certain condition I had.

The few times I've been to a doctor in America (I'm not from USA) I got excellent care. They explained the whole thing, told me about options I could take etc. I was very satisfied with the doctors.

Yes it's more expensive than it should be, but that's a different matter.

[sobjornstad]

This is more or less the idea behind [Direct Primary Care](https://www.dpcare.org) – by turning primary care into a monthly subscription, you're encouraged to ask more simple questions to keep yourself in good health, and your doctor is encouraged to keep you healthy so you don't have to come in.

(Not affiliated with this movement and I don't even use it, just think it's a great idea.)