I didn't read the article. But my friend here in London couldn't get past GP with half of her body losing sensation. It took a LOT of pressure from her husband to get to see somebody relevant.

It turned out to be quite serious but healable given timely help. Most people would just give up until much more problematic symptoms develop.

It is your health; I don’t know about the US but in NL UK ES PT you have to apply yourself to get attention but then you do; I get help fast whatever I have because I am not taking no for an answer; people who do, well, it is your health; it is not exactly ok to just walk out when you are in trouble. You push and don’t leave until you get help. My gp did what Seinfeld George wanted; go away it’s not cancer; it was cancer and I knew it but you have to get aggressive to get attention in many places as most people go to their doctor for a chat because they need to (which, in an ideal world, is a reason to go as well by the way). People believe their gp is a smart person and knows things; they don’t; they are the gatekeepers: don’t listen to them, just get referred asap.

Yeah...

My impression is that NHS has some sort of guidelines explaining default GP reactions to keywords.

E.g., "pain in the back" is the fastest way to end the conversation.

Why would you say that? Have you ever had to deal with either a not-well-known or not-often-believed-in disease? There are millions of people in the US who have to deal with this type of shit at every visit, and they are largely women and particularly women of color. There are journal articles describing some of it. It’s not at all uncommon. Having watched this type of thing happen to my wife, I highly doubt the story has been reported inaccurately. I now have to attend all of my wife’s doctor’s visits (even with female doctors) to ensure that doctors don’t dismiss her or her condition. And oddly enough, it happens significantly less frequently when I’m there. (Though it does still happen.)

> Why would you say that?

I’m yet to come across a medical doctor who would recommend a chiropractor, but regularly encounter them dismissing that profession. Neck manipulations in particular.

I am well aware of minorities and women lacking equal access to healthcare, and it’s grim. If anyone wants some disheartening reading, your comment brought to mind to things: this was inflicted on women here in New Zealand.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartwright_InquiryWe

And this was a recent report on Maori healthcare, finding that Maori face significant prejudice in their healthcare (see page 17 of the report for a summary). https://waitangitribunal.govt.nz/news/tribunal/