The school year has begun at many colleges and universities in Iowa and across the country. While many classes will be digital due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most American colleges are reopening their campuses to students. If you have a son or daughter in college, that...
Study says misdiagnosis happens often with certain medical issues
People in Iowa who are concerned about a medical issue will do what they perceive to be the right thing and go to the doctor. A key to the proper treatment of a medical problem is an accurate diagnosis. While it is understandable that certain illnesses and conditions...
How MRIs can help prevent Alzheimer’s misdiagnoses
Central Iowa residents should know that not all cases of dementia, or memory loss, are due to Alzheimer's disease. The Alzheimer's Association itself says that up to 40% of dementia cases are caused by other conditions than Alzheimer's. Unfortunately, the link is such...
Four diseases doctors commonly misdiagnose
Everyone in Central Iowa and across the nation knows that doctors are not perfect. In fact, it has been estimated that around 20 percent of patients are misdiagnosed. For individuals to protect themselves, it is good to be aware of some of the common diseases that...
Disorder mistaken for dementia can improve with treatment
Some people in Iowa could be misdiagnosed with dementia, Alzheimer's or Parkinson's disease while actually suffering from a treatable disorder. Memory loss and balance control problems are common symptoms of different types of cognitive disorders, but they are also...
Negligence and medical malpractice
Iowa doctors and other health care practitioners are expected to reach a certain level of professionalism and proficiency. When the required standard of care is not met, the patient may have a claim for medical malpractice. Medical malpractice cases are dependent on a...
Misdiagnosis behind the majority of malpractice cases
Central Iowa residents should know that a majority of medical malpractice claims arise because of a diagnostic error, usually misdiagnosis. This was the conclusion of a study published in the journal Diagnosis in July 2019. In particular, there were three types of...
One type of arthritis commonly misdiagnosed as another
According to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology, people who have polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis have a higher prevalence of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors than those who have rheumatoid arthritis. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis...
Schizophrenia is often difficult to diagnose
One disturbing study indicates that people in Iowa may be receiving unnecessary and potentially damaging schizophrenia treatment when they do not need it. Researchers studying a Baltimore medical center discovered that at least 50 percent of the clinic's patients...
Colorectal cancer goes undetected in many young patients
Cases of colorectal cancer are rising among patients under 55, yet it is being frequently misdiagnosed in this same age group. Iowa residents should know that the symptoms of colorectal cancer can be mistaken for those of other conditions. They include nausea and...