For the elderly, it is normal to have multiple diseases coexist, and it is undoubtedly difficult to completely eliminate diseases. Modern geriatric medicine focuses more on solving the core problem of various diseases causing various discomfort symptoms, allowing the elderly to live in harmony with diseases. So how should the elderly seek medical treatment when they feel unwell?
1. Have a general awareness when seeking medical treatment
Due to age-related decline in organ functions, the possibility of having multiple diseases increases for the elderly. However, the elderly often go to the department that corresponds to their discomfort, and specialists usually only focus on their own field, lacking a general awareness. This is very unfavorable for the elderly.
2. Regularly seek medical treatment for chronic diseases
Many elderly people have some knowledge of self-care or become "doctors" themselves. They keep a small medicine cabinet at home and believe that it is convenient and cost-effective to treat chronic diseases at home. Some patients, based on their limited understanding of their own medical history or hearsay from others, prescribe medication for themselves. This approach has many hidden dangers and can even lead to serious consequences.
The symptoms of some diseases in the early stages may be similar to those of existing chronic diseases in the elderly. If timely and standardized treatment is not received, the optimal treatment opportunity is often missed. The elderly should not take diseases lightly, especially when they are suspected of having tumors or coronary heart disease. They should not have a mentality of luck, in order to avoid delaying treatment.
3. Do not neglect psychological problems
A sample survey showed that due to the dramatic changes in life before and after retirement and the decline in brain function, 70% of the elderly have varying degrees of psychological problems, 27% have obvious anxiety, depression, and other mental disorders, 0.34% have certain symptoms of mental schizophrenia, and 0.75% suffer from senile dementia. However, these elderly people rarely seek psychological help. Psychological problems have become one of the main diseases that seriously affect the health and quality of life of the elderly.
The vast majority of elderly people do not consider psychological problems as an illness and do not know how to adjust their mindset, which affects their health and quality of life. When the elderly experience psychological problems, timely consultation with a psychologist and psychological adjustment through communication with others is the most effective solution.
4. Do not follow advertisements when taking medication
The elderly often worry that they are sick but are afraid to go to the hospital for fear of being diagnosed with a disease. As a result, they buy medication based on advertisements. The result is often that the medication does not match the symptoms, they waste money, and the disease is not cured. Therefore, it is best to follow the advice of doctors when taking medication in order to treat the disease effectively and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Self-medication is the most dangerous for the elderly. Some drugs may have a relieving effect on certain symptoms, but many clinical trials have found that long-term use of many drugs can have serious side effects. Many elderly patients with chronic diseases need lifelong medication, whether it is prescription or over-the-counter drugs. It is best to take them according to the doctor's instructions. Safe and reliable drugs should be chosen, and regular replacement of long-term medications should be done under the guidance of a doctor.
5. Not all diseases need to be completely cured
Take chronic myeloid leukemia as an example. In the past, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation was used to treat this disease, aiming to "eliminate the root cause" of the disease. However, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation has a mortality rate of around 20% due to transplantation-related complications. Now, targeted drugs are available for the treatment of this disease, where "patients take a pill every day to control the disease, and their quality of life is also good." However, Dr. Liu Hui has indeed encountered some persistent patients in clinical practice who believe that only "eliminating the root cause" is the most effective treatment method. They worry about becoming resistant to the medication if they take a pill every day, and ask, "What should I do then?" However, conservative treatment may not necessarily have poor results. One of Dr. Liu Hui's patients in his 50s, after being diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia, followed the doctor's instructions and took medication every day. "He just takes pills. Now he has been diagnosed for 5 years, and his quality of life is very good. It not only does not affect his daily life, but he can also go to work. He was recently promoted." However, if radical treatment had been chosen at that time, his quality of life might not be as good now, or he might have been in a life-threatening situation due to complications. In fact, whether the treatment needs to be so radical or not should be judged based on the specific situation of the patient."
6. How to spend less money on medical treatment
If you experience symptoms and signs that you have never had before, it is best to go directly to a large hospital and make an appointment with a specialist. Although the registration fee may be more expensive, it can avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis. If you have a critical illness, you should also go to a large hospital to prevent missing the best diagnosis and treatment opportunity. For elderly people with chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes, they can choose small hospitals because there are already standardized diagnostic and treatment plans for these diseases, and there is not much difference in medical quality between different levels of hospitals. When seeking medical treatment, it is advisable to bring previous medical records to reduce unnecessary repeated examinations and facilitate the diagnosis by doctors.
