Why do people blindy trust doctors?

Question

I keep seeing people respond to questions with things like "ask your doctor" or "doctors know best", one person even said "your doctor knows your body better than you do"! How is that even possible?

200 years ago doctors were prescribing leeches and bloodletting to cure disease, and killed thousands of women in childbirth with infections and just plain ignorance. Yet people listened to them and thought they were right. People thought with all the modern medical science they were getting the best care possible. Wrong-o!

What makes you think things have changed?

I realise that leeches are still used sometimes, and that doctors know a lot. My problem is the idea that they know *everything* and that their *opinion* means a lot just because they are educated.

my final edit because I am getting some hostility here :
I have nothing against doctors. I have nothing against other medical professionals.
I just do not see why people trust them as the be-all-end all of knowledge on this earth.

Answer 1

Totally agree with you, doctors change their minds all the time and are wrong a lot. First somethings good for you, and then whups it kills you. A lot of doctors are quacks. Quack quack quack!

Answer 2

Leeches are still used and are extremely helpful with infection control when having to care for reattached appendages. 200 years ago, Louis Pasteur was just discovering germs. Infection control was still a big "what?!"

I'm an NCMA & phlebotomist and work with doctors all the time. They're people too, they can make mistakes. They will do what they think is in the best interests of the patient, to help treat the diagnosis. There are a LOT of things out there that can be "wrong" with a person that have the same symptoms. Unless it's blatantly obvious as to what's wrong, they start with what they think it could be, and go from there. I don't believe that a person should blindly believe in doctors, asking questions is a good thing. If something isn't working, inform the doctor and request a change in treatment. If you have a crappy doctor, then find a new one. Not all of them are "created equal". Some have a seriously craptacular bedside manner and think they know everything, and that you're just another whiney patient. Others will just about bend over backwards to help you and make you well. THOSE are the good docs.

Do you know what they call the person who graduates last at Harvard Medical School? Doctor.

Answer 3

When people say, doctor's know best, it's probably because they know the most about the human body and all the possible diseases. Just like when you fix a car, you'd go to a mechanic and not a painter, right? In that sense, then the "Mechanic knows best". As for your other point, just like any other profession in the world, there are good doctors, as much as incompetent ones.

With the statement "Your doctor knows your body better than you do", they probably meant that doctors understand more of what may be occurring. But of course, they will still rely on you for history and your symptoms. In that sense, then "you" know your body best.

For every single wonder drug, there are probably 3 to 4 bad medications. Things are a lot more stringent now with laws and malpractice. Nowadays, we use evidence based medicine, that's why we run a lot of labs and tests, before making any decision. We've gone far from shotgun therapy. But there is still a lot more that can be improved. And even if in my second life, if I weren't a doctor, and I got sick. I still wouldn't go to a carpenter, or an actress, or a professional athlete. Because in that sense, then the doctor would know what's best for me.

Oh, and yes, it's true, leeches are still used sometimes.

Answer 4

People blindly trust doctors because we naturally give in to authority figures. I've had too many experiences with bad doctors to trust any of them completely. The reason most people advise seeing a doctor is because they do have training and should by keeping abreast of current research. Also most things that need to fixing need a doctor to either write a prescription or order tests or correct the problem. I always recommend that you go to a doctor informed. With the Internet and sites like WebMD and Yahoo Health there is no reason you can't look up medicines or side effects or symptoms. It's easier to have a discussion with a doctor when you have some knowledge. Don't be afraid to bring up articles you've read or suspicions of what's causing symptoms. Your relationship with your doctor should be a partnership. If your doctor doesn't believe this you should find a new doctor.

Answer 5

First off Science and technology has advanced greatly over the past few decades let alone since the 1800's ! Back then much of health care was based on folklore and medieval techniques to say the least. Now, a day's I don't think people "BLINDLY" believe in Doctors. For the most part I think the general public is aware that doctors are human beings who have studied and had to pass rigorous training , do internship, and constantly attend , have to do eduactional hours, to earn their license and be able to "practice" medicine. Malpractice insurance is astronomically high--because some doctors make mistakes that are life threatening or even kill their patients. I think the general public knows they should be their own best health care advocate...to seek a second or a third opinion when they suspect, intuitively or otherwise that their doctor perhaps has gotten their diagnosis "wrong" . I believe there is more accountability in our health care system today than in years past... There are plenty of watch dog agencies both federal & state / local groups that health care facilities and practicioners are held accountable to. There is no perfect system, there is no perfect doctor. I actually worked in the health care industry for 16 years, and have a brother in law who is an MD. I think when your friend suggested you ask your doctor because they know your body better than you what they meant was they understand the functioning of your anatomy and the human body's physiology better that you. ( unless your pre med or trained in the field)...History is full of hideaous stories REAL LIFE accounts of how treatments were prescribed for mental health issues alone! Now more than ever patients should check their perscription bottles closely, human error can end a life. 200 years ago they were burning women & men in our country because fellow citizens believed them to be a witch. Insane... modern technology has given mankind the tools to remove cancers, extend peoples lifes etc, etc, One can only hope & pray that the men & woman who practice medicine were't at the bottom of their graduating class. For the most part all of the wonderful doctors I have met and worked with truly practice medicine ,because it is their passion. They always want to hit a home run they never want to strike out..the Hippocratic oath is what they have tatooed in their good intentions! To do no harm....

Answer 6

Some doctors still use leeches today. It's true women died during childbirth but remember, birth control wasn't as accepted back then. Of course, there are good doctors out there as well as bad! Also, keep in mind that medicine is not a perfect science, we learn more and more about diseases, etc. all the time.

Answer 7

What's changed? I don't know - infant mortality rates? Child birth mortality rates? Cancer survival rates? Better diagnostics? Heart attack and stroke survival rates? Increases in fertility rates? People living longer better lives overall? People surviving horrific accidents? People surviving and living full fruitful lives with hideous diseases such as AIDS?
You seem to be the one with the expert opinion - YOU tell US why people should trust doctors.

You know, I'm not a professional, although I have a pretty extensive medical background. However, this is a WRITTEN FORUM. NONE of us are doctors, and there is NO way to render a reliable medical opinion based on what people write.
If it sounds bad, I personally say it should be assessed by a TRAINED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL - one who has studied and is currently PRACTICING (do you think it's coincidence that this particular word is employed here???) the art of medicine. Furthermore, even if I can say conclusively that someone has this or that, I cannot (nor would I) issue a prescription to alleviate or treat the symptoms.

I also advocate to people who gripe that they don't feel their doc is doing the job right to get a second, third, fourth, whatever opinion. NO ONE knows your body better than you do - the one person who said otherwise is a freak.

So...how's THAT work for ya?

Answer 8

Okay first of all let me clarify a few things.
1) Depending on what a doctor says you should always get a second opinion

2) I don't think a doctor knows my body better than I do.

3) Yes doctors used leeches way back in the day. That was a more primitive time, and in some countries particularly third world countries people still use various things to heal themselves opposed to doctors.
But!....If doctors weren't a necessity to some degree we wouldn't have millions of them all over the world, saving lives curing people etc. I don't put all my trust in doctors, I put it in GOD but that doesn't mean I won't go to a doctor. They studied in school for years and have a certain level of expertise which we don't have.


P.S. of course we're going to suggest for someone who is carrying a baby to go to the doctor, we ourselves don't know what's going on inside, but they do...because they went to school for this....I'm not gonna try and diagnose someone who is pregnant when they say they feel ill or they started to bleed etc....Its not like they only have a common cold? Their pregnant!

So please don't take it so seriously honey.

Answer 9

I hear what you are saying and I can agree. When it comes to pregnancy I believe that women know best. Pregnancy is natural and not an illness. Unless there is a complication where one becomes "ill" in labour or pregnancy, I believe that we are pretty instinctual creatures and know our bodies. However, when I am sick and cannot take care of it myself anymore I do see my doctor. He is there for the complicated things. Pretty rare though since most things are "fixable."

Answer 10

You are 100% right. I am not saying that Doctor's advice should be disregarded, but a woman knows her body better than a doctor and a woman knows her baby better than a doctor. People should research stuff for themselves, follow their instincts, talk to other people that they trust, and not just follow doctor's blindly. It scares me that so many women totally give their power over to another person they dont even know just because they have a degree. Women need to trust themselves and their bodies!

Answer 11

Dr's don't know your body better then you they may know all the parts and what they do better. They are the ones that have done years of study to know and understand body's but that is as far as it goes. Like every thing there are good Dr's and bad Dr's out there. some really put all there trust into Dr's as they do know more about the human body then we do. but bad Dr's good or bad can get it wrong.