If you recently had devastating medical news delivered to you, it may be a good time to consider getting a second opinion. A person can become overwhelmed with diagnosis of a fatal disease such as cancer, or other pressing diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinsons, etc. Although this does not mean a second opinion should be sought after only if diagnosed with major diseases, but can valid for any diagnosis regardless of scale. A second opinion is left up to the patient. It remains his or her decision to make. If they feel confident in their doctor’s prognosis and suggested forms of treatment, then a second opinion may be of no real value. If, however, a patient is unsure, or would like further assessments to be made, then a second opinion is the best solution.

People may want to seek out second opinions for a variety of reasons. As stated a person may want a second opinion if they are not entirely confident in their initial diagnosis and want a fresh pair of eyes to examine their case. A second opinion might also come at a later time, if the patient feels the current treatment plan they are on is not alleviating their symptoms. Therefore, getting a second opinion in this instance would help clarify if the current treatment plan is the best option, or if other more beneficial treatment plans would be available. In some cases, getting a second opinion can be the key difference maker between life and death. This is no exaggeration as one medical professional might spot a crucial aspect of a disease that another may have missed. Below are several examples of the advantages that second opinions can yield.

First, when receiving a second opinion it can reaffirm what you already know. This can be helpful for some patients as they work themselves into a panic when receiving bad news. And if they need to hear the same information from other sources in order to clear their minds and proceed with the outlined course of treatment then a second opinion can provide that.

Secondly, the disease, disorder, issue can be rightfully identified by a minimum of two medical professionals. This helps rule out any false positive results and puts the patient on track towards a full recovery.

Thirdly, in the case of surgery, it is always better to ease your mind by getting a second opinion. Understanding the risks and advantages of a major surgery is a must. Therefore, reach out to one or two more experts in the field and gather all the information possible to make an informed decision that may save your life.

Now some of the disadvantages of getting a second opinion include, a clash of opinions between your physicians in which case you’d be none the wiser as to which of them is ‘right,’ when it comes to your disease and how best to treat it. You may spend quite a bit, putting a strain on your bank account. You may develop hypochondriac traits and behavior. You faith in medicine may begin to gradually decline. You also may begin to question everything in your everyday life, becoming less confident in your ability to reason.

However, most of these disadvantages occur in extreme cases. While it is always beneficial to know the advantages and disadvantages with anything, it is clear the pros significantly outweigh the cons when it comes to getting a second opinion.