Skip to content
  • About
  • Contact
  • Contribute
  • Book
  • Careers
  • Podcast
  • Recommended
  • Speaking
  • All
  • Physician
  • Practice
  • Policy
  • Finance
  • Conditions
  • .edu
  • Patient
  • Meds
  • Tech
  • Social
  • Video
    • All
    • Physician
    • Practice
    • Policy
    • Finance
    • Conditions
    • .edu
    • Patient
    • Meds
    • Tech
    • Social
    • Video
    • About
    • Contact
    • Contribute
    • Book
    • Careers
    • Podcast
    • Recommended
    • Speaking

Lessons taught by Bell’s palsy

Alexander Rakowsky, MD
Conditions
September 19, 2023
Share
Tweet
Share

Recently, after a week of a viral illness that I most likely picked up from one of my patients as a pediatrician, I noticed that one side of my tongue felt as though I had dental anesthesia. During the day, this slowly progressed, but as night came, the progression rapidly intensified with my lips and eyelids on this same side now drooping. While I suspected Bell’s palsy, considering that I’m now middle-aged, my wife took the prudent precaution of taking me to the ER, where I would spend several hours getting worked up. I know that there have been plenty of articles on this site discussing what it feels like when the doctor becomes a patient, but I still thought it was worthwhile sharing a few lessons learned since these can never be overstated.

Those extra seconds count. Let’s be honest; being in a situation like this, where you think that you may be having a stroke, is stressful and any little thing can be a trigger for even more stress. Several of the staff in the ER, from the nurse who told me what to expect with the IV and blood draw (“This will feel like a pinch”) to the radiology tech who gently warned me about my body soon to turn warm when contrast was injected during the CT angiogram (and had I not known this, it would have freaked me out), to the MA who told me why they were placing cardiac monitors on me (“We do this for anyone in the ER” … while I initially thought that they knew I was having a stroke!), and finally the ER physician who came by several times to check on me. Those very short interactions that from a time perspective were negligible were the most impactful of the entire visit. May I always remember to do the same with a nervous patient or parent.

Treat me as a human. Acknowledging me as a person and not a diagnosis, or a patient, or another number to be seen on a busy Friday night was so amazingly impactful though all of these took mere seconds to be done. From the registration staff who smiled at my wife and acknowledged her, to the security guard who greeted us at the ER, to the triage nurse who went out of the way to calm me down, and so many other very quick interactions that made my wife and me feel cared about. Working in a system that is so focused on efficiency, the fact remains that our patients are not machines or puzzles to be solved, but a complex mix of physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects that all work together. A simple smile can acknowledge this, and something we can all do easily.

Keep me updated. Between the ER attending and the nurse, I was not only given frequent updates about results but, as importantly, how much longer some things would take to come back. For someone worried about having a stroke, hearing “My prelim read looks fine, but I will get the final read from radiology in about 20 …” was a life changer, and those 20 minutes were spent chit-chatting with my wife instead of being painfully long moments of worry. Again, these moments took little time but were so impactful. May I let my families/patients know such things as how much longer of a wait or when some labs will be back.

Plain language counts. Health literacy is a topic that is of great interest to me (for example, two colleagues and I have done a whole series of podcasts on this topic), and while always taught to medical students, it is commonly a lost art. Yet it can be done and makes such a huge difference. Start off with what the ER attending did using the classic “three things you must know” approach: 1. Diagnosis and why: “You have non-Lyme’s, but post-viral Bell’s palsy without any stroke, and these are the results that show that,” 2. The management plan: “Based on this I am starting you on two meds,” and 3. When to come back: “Bell’s takes some time to clear, but you will see improvements in a few days. I want you to come back if you feel worse, things get worse, or if you have no improvements by the end of the week.” Simple, to the point, and yet it contained all of the information that my wife and I needed to hear. Something that I need to do more with my patients and families.

Empathy. As a seasoned physician, I have seen Bell’s plenty of times, and diagnosed it probably a dozen times, but have never personally had it before. This event allowed me to experience the symptoms that my patients must be going through which I honestly did not think about much before. The last time I diagnosed Bell’s was in a child with autism, and while my diagnostician brain was very pleased with itself to diagnose this, in retrospect, I failed in explaining what to expect to this family. I can’t imagine how a child with sensory issues will now cope with having one eye patched up or losing taste or feeling numb for days on end. Now I can at least think of this, and while I cannot explain everything to a family, I can at least try and empathize with them and warn them of what to expect. That is a solid start and one that will not be forgotten by a patient or family.

None of us enjoy getting sick, but I am convinced that many things happen so as to teach us to be better people and better doctors. I do have to say that Bell’s palsy has been quite the professor!

Alexander Rakowsky is a pediatrician.

Prev

Samuel Shem on 50 years of American medicine [PODCAST]

September 18, 2023 Kevin 0
…
Next

I'm a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

September 19, 2023 Kevin 3
…

Tagged as: Infectious Disease, Neurology

Post navigation

< Previous Post
Samuel Shem on 50 years of American medicine [PODCAST]
Next Post >
I'm a doctor, and I almost died during childbirth

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

More by Alexander Rakowsky, MD

  • The art of pediatrics: Connecting through observation

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • A pediatrician’s memorable experience with a patient with Down syndrome

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD
  • The surprising power of Play-Doh in pediatric care: How it’s bringing families together

    Alexander Rakowsky, MD

Related Posts

  • A call to clinicians: Contrary to what you’ve been taught, use social media

    Joshua Mansour, MD
  • The lessons learned from street medicine

    Nicholas Bascou
  • Why medical students should be taught the business side of medicine

    Martinus Megalla
  • Lessons from the meeting of different value-based concepts

    Joshua Liao, MD
  • One of the biggest lessons medical school can teach you

    Prerana Chatty, MD
  • A paradigm shift in acute pain assessment and management

    Myles Gart, MD

More in Conditions

  • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

    Steven J. Katz, DDS
  • What the research really says about infrared saunas

    Khushali Jhaveri, MD
  • How the cycle of rage is affecting physicians—and how to break free

    Alexandra M.P. Brito, MD and Jennifer L. Hartwell, MD
  • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

    Katharina Schwan, MPH
  • It’s time for pain protocols to catch up with the opioid crisis

    Sarah White, APRN
  • Earwax could hold secrets to cancer, Alzheimer’s, and heart disease

    Sandra Vamos, EdD and Domenic Alaimo
  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions
    • How the cycle of rage is affecting physicians—and how to break free

      Alexandra M.P. Brito, MD and Jennifer L. Hartwell, MD | Conditions
    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions

Subscribe to KevinMD and never miss a story!

Get free updates delivered free to your inbox.


Find jobs at
Careers by KevinMD.com

Search thousands of physician, PA, NP, and CRNA jobs now.

Learn more

Leave a Comment

Founded in 2004 by Kevin Pho, MD, KevinMD.com is the web’s leading platform where physicians, advanced practitioners, nurses, medical students, and patients share their insight and tell their stories.

Social

  • Like on Facebook
  • Follow on Twitter
  • Connect on Linkedin
  • Subscribe on Youtube
  • Instagram

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

  • Most Popular

  • Past Week

    • Why flashy AI tools won’t fix health care without real infrastructure

      David Carmouche, MD | Tech
    • Key strategies for smooth EHR transitions in health care

      Sandra Johnson | Tech
    • 2 hours to decide my future: How the SOAP residency match traps future doctors

      Nicolette V. S. Sewall, MD, MPH | Education
    • Reassessing the impact of CDC’s opioid guidelines on chronic pain care [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • When the diagnosis is personal: What my mother’s Alzheimer’s taught me about healing

      Pearl Jones, MD | Conditions
    • Why Medicaid cuts should alarm every doctor

      Ilan Shapiro, MD | Policy
  • Past 6 Months

    • Why tracking cognitive load could save doctors and patients

      Hiba Fatima Hamid | Education
    • What the world must learn from the life and death of Hind Rajab

      Saba Qaiser, RN | Conditions
    • How scales of justice saved a doctor-patient relationship

      Neil Baum, MD | Physician
    • The silent toll of ICE raids on U.S. patient care

      Carlin Lockwood | Policy
    • My journey from misdiagnosis to living fully with APBD

      Jeff Cooper | Conditions
    • “Think twice, heal once”: Why medical decision-making needs a second opinion from your slower brain (and AI)

      Harvey Castro, MD, MBA | Tech
  • Recent Posts

    • Why some doctors age gracefully—and others grow bitter

      Patrick Hudson, MD | Physician
    • Why removing fluoride from water is a public health disaster

      Steven J. Katz, DDS | Conditions
    • What the research really says about infrared saunas

      Khushali Jhaveri, MD | Conditions
    • How the cycle of rage is affecting physicians—and how to break free

      Alexandra M.P. Brito, MD and Jennifer L. Hartwell, MD | Conditions
    • Why ADHD in adults is often missed—and why it matters [PODCAST]

      The Podcast by KevinMD | Podcast
    • Dedicated hypermobility clinics can transform patient care

      Katharina Schwan, MPH | Conditions

MedPage Today Professional

An Everyday Health Property Medpage Today
  • Terms of Use | Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy
  • DMCA Policy
All Content © KevinMD, LLC
Site by Outthink Group

Leave a Comment

Comments are moderated before they are published. Please read the comment policy.

Loading Comments...