Imagine this:
You sit in your room feeling more confused than ever. Your first doctor suggested emergency surgery. The second one said it was nothing to worry about. The third raised his eyebrows and ordered more tests.
Which one should you believe?!
It’s one of the most unsettling moments in any patient’s life—when medical experts, who look at the same lab results and medical history, don’t agree.
We’re taught to think of doctors as these authority figures who have all the answers. After all, that’s why they say, “If symptoms persist…consult your doctor,” right?
But, as it turns out, doctors are people too—with their own biases, backgrounds, and beliefs. And medicine isn’t always so black and white.
(If you’re in any doubt, just recall how different doctors and different medical fields approached the 2020 pandemic.)
So what should you do when you’re caught between opposing diagnoses? Let’s break down what’s really happening behind the scenes and see how you can make sense of it for yourself.
Breaking News: Doctors Are People Too!
Medical professionals go through years of training, but they’re not robots. They bring their personalities, preferences, and experiences into every consultation.
A surgeon, for example, might lean toward a surgical fix for your nagging problem because that’s their specialty. (And not necessarily because he’s angling for a fee). A generalist, on the other hand, just as well-meaning, might take a more conservative approach. A specialist in one field might miss something patently obvious to someone in another specialty.
So let’s say a middle-aged woman is experiencing persistent stomach pain. So she comes in for a checkup. Her first doctor, a family physician, said it was probably acid reflux and prescribed antacids.
When the pain didn’t go away, she sought a second opinion from a gastroenterologist, who suspected gallstones and recommended surgery.
A third consultation with an integrative medicine doctor suggested the pain might be stress-related, urging lifestyle changes and therapy first.
So, who’s right?
Well, each doctor viewed the case through the lens of their own training and assumptions.
There are specific, inescapable reasons why one doctor might see something another doesn’t. So it might be helpful to know what’s driving those differences in the first place.
Why Diagnoses Differ
Several factors influence why two or more doctors might see your condition differently:
1. Different Specialties, Different Angles
Specialists tend to favor approaches from their field. An orthopedic surgeon may recommend surgery for a knee injury, while a physical therapist might suggest rehab first.
Well-trained doctors can reach different conclusions because they’re looking at the same problem from different angles. A surgeon will recommend surgery because, from his professional experience, he has witnessed a lot of patients get better after undergoing surgery.
A physical therapist, on the other hand, will bet on the virtues of therapy because he’s seen firsthand how it has helped hundreds of patients.
So it’s really no wonder that one specialist will push for a certain course of action.
2. Levels of Experience
A seasoned doctor may have seen a rare presentation before and spot subtle patterns that less experienced practitioners miss. For instance, an older internist might catch an unusual autoimmune disorder (that at first glance looks like a common illness) just because he’s seen it the past.
In contrast, a younger doctor fresh out of residency might follow the textbook approach and focus on more typical symptoms and treatments.
But on the other hand, younger doctors might also be more exposed to the latest developments and research in their field, and also be more open to newer treatments and approaches.
For example, many are employing AI to help in diagnoses, where senior, more conservative or technologically-challenged colleagues may have balked at the idea.
(So in short, the kind of doctor you have will have a profound impact on the kinds of approaches he or she is comfortable with.)
3. Incomplete Information
When doctors don’t have your full medical history, they’re making decisions based on incomplete data. This increases the variety of possible interpretations as doctors fill in the blanks based on their personal experience and assumptions.
4. Bias Toward Action or Inaction
Medicine may be a science, but it’s not purely objective. Some doctors lean toward early intervention and would rather act quickly and risk overtreatment than allow things to fester or get serious. Others are more conservative and adopt a “wait and see” attitude, especially for conditions that might resolve on their own.
For example, one doctor may recommend removing a suspicious skin lesion immediately “just to be safe,” while another would make you come back after a few weeks to monitor for changes.
These tendencies are shaped by personal style, medical training, risk tolerance, and even the norms of the institutions where they were trained. It’s not about right or wrong. In this case, it’s more about patient-doctor fit.
5. The Gray Zones of Medicine
Not every symptom has a clear-cut cause. For example, dizziness can spring from a whole lot of different causes, from totally benign to something more serious.
In these gray zones, even the best doctors can disagree. Medicine is still full of uncertainty. Tests can be inconclusive. Symptoms can overlap. Conditions can evolve.
That is the nature of the game.
That’s why it’s important to follow some best practices when it comes to dealing with differing diagnoses and treatment approaches.
That’s next!
Best Practices: How to Think Through Conflicting Opinions
You’ve heard the stories: A man with persistent back pain was told by two different doctors that he had a slipped disc and needed surgery. But before going under the knife, he sought a third opinion from a rheumatologist who diagnosed him with ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis. (Surgery wouldn’t have helped.) Early treatment with medications made all the difference.
How about the story of the woman who was told by one doctor that a lump in her breast was “probably nothing.” She pushed for more testing, and it turned out to be early-stage cancer, caught just in time because she trusted her instincts and got more opinions.
When you’re in doubt or stuck between diagnoses or treatment recommendations, here’s how to navigate the situation:
1. Give the Full Picture
Provide all your doctors with the same information.
Bring all your records with you. This includes your lab tests, imaging results, and medical records. Having all the data in one place reduces the chance of miscommunication or missed details.
2. Ask For Details of the Diagnosis
Don’t hesitate to ask each doctor why they think this is your problem and why they’re recommending a particular treatment. What evidence or experience are they basing it on? What are the risks of doing nothing?
Do not be a passive receiver of a diagnosis. Ask good questions and be curious about your condition. For example, ask your doctor about what might have caused it, and how common it is.
This will give you a peek behind his thinking and provide rationale for why a doctor recommends certain procedures or drugs.
3. Understand the Risks of Each Treatment Option
When doctors suggest different treatment approaches, make sure you know what each one entails. What are the risks if you go for surgery, for example? Then what are the risks if you decide to take a full course of drugs?
Every test or treatment comes with its own risks, side effects, and potential downsides. Get clarity on what could go wrong, not just what might go right. This helps sidestep surprises down the road.
4. Consider a Tie-Breaker Opinion
Sometimes, when it comes down to it, we take the route supported by more practitioners. A third or fourth opinion from a different kind of specialist can help clarify things. For example, if two general practitioners give conflicting views on your unexplained headaches, you might have to see a neurologist as a tie-breaking (not to mention, more specialized) opinion.
5. Be Honest About Your Confusion
Don’t be afraid to say it out loud: “I’m getting different opinions, and I’m not sure what to believe.” The right doctor won’t take that personally. A good one will welcome the conversation and help you understand why there’s disagreement. He will also walk you through the reasoning behind his view.
You can ask things like:
· How confident are you about this diagnosis?
“What makes you confident in your conclusion?”
“Is there more testing we could do to narrow this down?”
Being upfront about your uncertainties doesn’t make you a difficult patient. It opens the door for better answers and more informed decisions.
6. Trust Your Gut, but Stay Informed
You know your body. If something feels off or if one explanation simply doesn’t sit right with you, keep asking questions. But balance that instinct with evidence and expert input.
7. Find a Doctor Who Listens
More than credentials, you need someone who listens to your concerns, explains clearly, and involves you in decision-making. Medicine should be a conversation between you and your doctor, with the latter providing expert guidance.
When doctors disagree, it’s not necessarily a sign of incompetence. It’s simply a reflection of how medicine operates: full of shades of gray, influenced by human judgment, and sometimes requiring patience to get to the truth.
You don’t have to be a medical expert to think clearly about your health. Ask good questions. Stay curious. Get more information when you need it. And most importantly, find a trusted partner in your care.
BloodWorks Lab provides you with fast and accurate medical tests that help your doctor assess your condition.
We are your one-stop shop for all your blood test needs.
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