Second Opinion

When you’re faced with a major decision about your medical care—or you just aren’t totally confident in the answers or treatments you’ve been given—you should never be afraid to ask for a second opinion.

Second opinions are, in fact, an important part of the decision-making process in the medical world. Not because doctors are bad at what they do or untrustworthy! Actually, it’s because we’re usually good at what we do!

Another set of eyes and a fresh perspective from more than one qualified specialist can provide valuable options, alternatives, and insights that may benefit you.

Should I Get A Second Opinion?

There are many good reasons to get a second opinion. They include:

Peace of mind

Most of the time, the second doctor will probably tell you more or less the same thing the first one did. That’s okay! Getting confirmation on the diagnosis from a second physician can put your mind at ease and give you the confidence to go forward with treatment.

Gathering knowledge and evaluating your option

Most doctors take their commitment to patient education very seriously, and work very hard to explain everything in terms their patients can understand. However, we all (doctors and patients alike) have our own unique communication and learning styles. Even if the information being presented is essentially the same, hearing from different physicians with different styles may help you understand it better.

Furthermore, sometimes different physicians will recommend slightly different treatment approaches to your problem. This doesn’t necessarily mean one doctor is right and the other is wrong. Both options could work! However, one might be a better fit for your personal needs or lifestyle.

You’ve been told you need surgery, or you’re unhappy with your current or previous treatment

If you’re unsatisfied with what another physician is telling you, or you’ve been underwhelmed by the results of previous treatments, it never hurts to seek out a fresh perspective. It may well be the case that the second physician has received additional training or has access to a wider range of treatment alternatives.

For example, at Carmel Foot Specialists we see a large number of patients who are frustrated with chronic heel painfrom plantar fasciitis. Maybe they’ve tried multiple treatments—splints, physical therapy, orthotics, etc.—and just not gotten relief. Maybe their original foot doctor recommended surgery, but they still want to find a conservative way forward.

We, however, offer a handful of more advanced options that many doctors don’t, including:

• MLS laser therapy
• Acoustic wave therapy
• Amniotic tissue injections
• Platelet-rich plasma therapy

So if you’ve been all over the place and your feet are still hurting, don’t give up hope! Do your research. There may be a specialist in the area—like us—better equipped to solve your problem.