Iceberg diseases cause severe symptoms in some patients, but can be difficult to diagnose due to intermittent or vague symptoms. Many patients may never receive treatment or be dismissed as hypochondriacs. It’s important to describe symptoms to doctors and identify patterns to aid diagnosis.
An iceberg disease is a disease that causes only severe, easily identifiable symptoms in some patients. The classic example of iceberg disease is celiac disease, a condition associated with the inability to digest gluten. In some cases, the symptoms make a diagnosis of celiac disease relatively straightforward, but in other cases, a patient may experience abstract, intermittent symptoms that make diagnosis difficult.
This term refers to the popular idea that only a small part of an iceberg protrudes from the surface of the water; the same concept is recalled in the saying “the tip of the iceberg”. The idea is that only a fraction of patients with this type of disease actually seek medical treatment and receive a firm diagnosis, while the vast majority may never receive treatment, often because they don’t recognize the fact that their symptoms have a pattern. distinct.
For a patient suffering from iceberg disease, the disease can be extremely frustrating. As the symptoms come and go, the patient may have difficulty finding a doctor who takes the situation seriously, and several misdiagnoses can be made before both the doctor and the patient finally get to the bottom of the problem. Some patients are accused of being hypochondriacs who are simply pretending to get attention and their concerns may be dismissed.
Iceberg diseases can remain hidden and hidden for years, sometimes manifesting only during a time of extreme stress or with symptoms so vague that the patient does not notice them until the problem becomes severe. This can be problematic in the case of a disease that causes slow degeneration, as patients may not realize they have a problem until a significant amount of damage has been inflicted.
While iceberg diseases are certainly a threat, there’s no reason to rush into the doctor’s office unless someone has been experiencing a consistent series of symptoms or general malaise over an extended period of time. Being able to describe and define symptoms is very helpful when discussing an ephemeral medical problem with a doctor, and it’s also a good idea to be able to relate a symptom to a specific incident. For example, someone who suffers from mild indigestion and intestinal problems after eating dairy products may have a mild form of lactose intolerance.
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