How Medical Gaslighting Can Lead to Malpractice

We trust our healthcare providers to take care of us, listen to our symptoms, and properly diagnose our ailments. However, preconceived notions and medical gaslighting can interfere with a proper diagnosis and receiving the quality medical care you deserve. Here is what you need to know about this far too common problem.

What Is Medical Gaslighting? 

Gaslighting is a term that refers to a form of manipulation someone uses to make another doubt their own judgment or question their sanity. Medical gaslighting describes when a patient’s medical symptoms are dismissed, ignored, or downplayed. In some situations, medical gaslighting can attribute a physical medical condition to a non-existent psychological problem. In others, a symptom is blamed on a neutral cause, such as age. 

Negative Effects of Medical Gaslighting

Medical gaslighting can lead to misdiagnoses or delayed diagnoses. If a healthcare provider does not pay attention to a patient’s symptoms because they dismiss or do not believe them, the provider might fail to conduct proper testing or imaging, leading to a condition not being diagnosed or being attributed to the wrong medical condition. 

Many health conditions are time-sensitive. Medical gaslighting can lead to delays in care that harm the patient or potentially cause their death. 

Examples of Medical Gaslighting 

Here are some real-life examples of when patients’ symptoms and concerns were ignored:

• Women undergoing fertility treatments complained of unbearable pain. Doctors ignored them. It was later discovered an addicted nurse had stolen their fentanyl and they were only receiving saline solution. 
• A woman giving birth reported feeling pain after she was given an epidural. One of her providers said she was being “dramatic.” The epidural had fallen out. 
• A woman was experiencing severe electric-shock-like sensations and was told by her male doctor to “get her nails done.” She was later diagnosed with fibromyalgia.
• A neurologist was told she knew too much when she reported having head pain and pounding in her ears after she requested a brain scan. Months later, a tumor was discovered. 
• A 56-year-old social worker was having trouble coordinating her hands, but the symptom was brushed off as part of the aging process. She was later diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. 
• A boy started experiencing “terrible heartburn” at age 15 but was told by his doctor that young men “don’t get heartburn.” Years later, he was diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and an inflamed esophagus. 

Who Is at Risk for Medical Gaslighting? 

Anyone can potentially fall victim to medical gaslighting. But certain people are more likely to have their symptoms ignored, dismissed, or not believed, including the following groups:

• Women 
• People of color
• Elderly individuals 
• LGBTQ+ individuals 
• Minority individuals
• People with stigmatized conditions, such as being overweight or having a mental illness

Protecting Yourself from Medical Gaslighting 

If you believe your healthcare provider dismissed your symptoms and failed to provide you with proper care, contact a Chicago medical malpractice attorney from Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, P.C. We handle a variety of cases involving medical malpractice and have recovered over $2 billion for our clients. Contact us today for a free case review.