Why should I tell patients what happens if they do nothing?
Because it is a real professional duty, and because nothing is always a legitimate option with any medical service. So I say it plainly. Things do not get better on their own. Then I list back the very complaints the patient told me they dislike, and I explain how each one typically gets worse over time, plus any clinical deterioration that follows. The slipping plate keeps slipping. The shrinking bone keeps shrinking. I am not scaring anyone, I am being honest about the trajectory. The funny thing is, doing this builds more trust, not less, because it shows you are not just selling, you are laying out the full picture including the choice to walk away. Always include the do-nothing option. It is ethical, it is required, and it quietly makes treatment the obvious decision.
If the answers you are finding here resonate with you, my team and I work with a small group of clients each year. The next step is a complimentary Discovery Consultation and Practice Review with Dr. McAnally.