Some Quick Words of Wisdom from Dr. Scott

May 12th, 2005

Filed under: Medicine

  • If you’re coming to see me complaining of a sore throat, don’t be surprised to find out that I actually need to look at the back of your throat. Don’t give a huff or exasperated sigh and slowly remove the gum you’ve been chewing. Why are you chewing gum in a doctor’s office anyway? You know I’m going to look in your mouth, I always do. Do you chew gum when you go to the dentist?
  • If you’re coming in to see me complaining of a sprained ankle or a sore foot, please take your shoe and sock off so I can get a good look. I don’t have kids so I’m not good at dressing and undressing other people. If I have to take off your shoe myself, it’s undoubtedly going to hurt a lot more than if you do it yourself.
  • For heaven’s sake, turn off your cell phone! At the very least don’t answer it and start a drawn out conversation while I’m trying to talk to you or perform an exam. It’s not that my time is any more important than yours, it’s just damn rude behavior.

6 Responses to “ Some Quick Words of Wisdom from Dr. Scott ”

  1. Augie De Blieck Jr.
    May 13th, 2005 at 10:04 am

    The most embarrassing thing I tend to do in front of a doctor is say “ah” at the dentist’s at the most inappropriate time. I had so many sore throats as a kid that anytime a doctor tells me to open my mouth so that they can look in, my first reaction is to say “ah.” When the dentist is just looking at my front teeth, though, that tends to be overkill.

    That said – gum and cell phones in the doctor’s office?!? Are people really that nuts? Nothing should surprise me anymore. BTW, the one chewing gun was a teenager, right? Please tell me it wasn’t an adult who should have known better… (Not that I’m defending a kid for the same behavior, mind you.)

  2. Scott
    May 13th, 2005 at 10:44 am
    Official Comment

    Adults and children, men and woman. I’d say about a third of my patients are chewing gum or sucking on a piece of candy. A cough drop — that I can kind of understand — but gum?

  3. Smith
    May 13th, 2005 at 5:25 pm

    Chewing gum *before* visiting the dentist (or doctor, if they’re going to be looking in your mouth) at least means you have a fairly clean mouth for them to deal with.

  4. Aaron
    May 14th, 2005 at 1:06 pm

    I see a lot of college students with “soar” throats. I think I should tell the Comp professors.
    I also have a problem with people believing me when I ask them to say “Ah.” They just sit there. Sometimes I have to ask them three times. Any more than that I give up and just gag them to see past their tongue like we do with little kids.

  5. Scott
    May 14th, 2005 at 1:34 pm
    Official Comment

    I have the same problem with getting patients to say “ahh.” I don’t think they realize that it actually serves a purpose.

  6. Kvon
    May 16th, 2005 at 12:09 am

    I try to explain to some of them that it lifts up the back of the throat so I can see better. A lot of them have never heard that. I’ve also tried to tell some of them to practice in the mirror (in the car, with the right sunlight, it’s really easy to see the ‘little dangly thing in the back’).

    For my current pet peeve, can we talk about people who are expecting a call back, yet don’t accept calls from private lines?

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