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Article created by: Ilona Baliūnaitė

According to a report released by the Johns Hopkins Armstrong Institute Center for Diagnostic Excellence, an estimated 371,000 patients die, and 424,000 are permanently disabled each year because they are incorrectly diagnosed across a range of care settings.

Overall, the paper suggests medical providers misdiagnose diseases roughly 11% of the time. However, it's important to highlight that different conditions are missed at different rates. For example, only 1.5% of heart attacks are misdiagnosed, but spinal abscesses are wrongly identified 62% of the time.

To hear from the people themselves, TikToker @mrsedwardsplusafew asked her followers who have gone through something similar to share their experiences. Continue scrolling to read about them and don't miss the conversation we had with Dr. Iris Gorfinkel!

Image credits: mrsedwardsplusafew

#1

Woman with curly hair holding her face in distress, illustrating the impact of incorrect medical diagnoses on lives. Got told last week that I have Feminine Hysteria. Apparently we’re living in 1925, not 2025

Oversized Horse Hoarder , YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #2

    Child lying in bed looking unwell with adult hand checking her forehead, illustrating incorrect medical diagnoses impact. My beautiful 14 year old daughter, Phoebe, was diagnosed with migraine in A&E on 7th Feb 25, discharged still in pain and died in our car 1/2 hour later 💔 She had a brain tumour

    Monkeygirlie , ORION_production/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #3

    Mother gently holding and comforting newborn baby showing signs of distress related to incorrect medical diagnoses. I took my 1 day old to A&E and I was told I was a overprotective new mum, and my daughters "movements" were normal reflexes for a newborn. turns out she was having multiple seizures every few seconds and had brain damage from lack of oxygen at birth. I refused to leave, until someone took me seriously though!

    Laura Louise , morrowlight/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #4

    30 Wildly Incorrect Medical Diagnoses That Ruined Lives diagnosed with being FAT when I was dislocating my knee in constant pain, turns out I had Ehlers danlos syndrome

    Laura Mckay , Marinesea/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #5

    Woman in a gray shirt sitting in bed holding her abdomen, illustrating the impact of incorrect medical diagnoses. Just ibs. Normal for women. Stop complaining. Stage 3 colon cancer.

    kelkiecat , kitzstocker/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #6

    Middle-aged man in a blue shirt holding his head in pain, illustrating stress from incorrect medical diagnoses. My dad suffered a head injury and then constant headaches for 6 weeks. He went to the gp 5 times in them 6 weeks. The gp told him he was suffering from miagraine or concussion. My dad infact had a blood clot the size of a tomato on the left side of his brain. Was only rushed to hospital on blue lights when he stopped walking and talking. Very traumatic very distressing still not over it

    Elle , anontae2522/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #7

    Young woman sitting on bed holding abdomen in pain, illustrating the impact of incorrect medical diagnoses. 34 weeks pregnant vomiting blood hospital said 4 times it’s normal and blood is from vomiting so much. Appendix burst had 1 hour to operate before me and the baby died🙃 tried to sue

    hannahsumxo , kitzstocker/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #8

    Woman lying on bed holding stomach in pain, illustrating effects of incorrect medical diagnoses on patients' lives. "it's just a period" "it's normal to bleed after delivery" "it's just a bit of cramping" - my placenta was left in

    T4r4 , micens/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #9

    Young female doctor in white coat with serious expression representing medical diagnoses theme Referred to gynae for severe tummy pain, told me there was nothing wrong I was just fat. Turned out to be an ovarian cyst that was 13cm in diameter and was squishing all my other organs

    Samantha Eleanor , Getty Images/Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #10

    Woman in grey sweater sitting indoors, looking anxious and biting nails, reflecting distress from incorrect medical diagnoses. Told by male docs for a year that my nonstop period was Menapause and I "just have to get used to it". Was eventually diagnosed by female doc as stage 2 Uterine Cancer. Radical Hysterectomy required

    Laura.L.Knight , Oleg Ivanov/Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #11

    Young woman wrapped in blanket holding her head in pain, illustrating the impact of incorrect medical diagnoses. "it's normal to gain 5 stone in 6 months" then told me to stop eating crisps.... it was a tumor

    Gabby , Getty Images/Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

    #12

    Close-up of a woman resting with eyes closed, illustrating the impact of wildly incorrect medical diagnoses on patients. “You just have covid” - my body was in fact shutting down from severe preeclampsia and HELLP syndrome where me and UNborn baby were told we have 12 hours to live…MAX

    Chlo , jorditudela/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #13

    Elderly woman in hospital gown holding her face, illustrating the impact of incorrect medical diagnoses on lives. About 17 years ago my gran found lumps, doctor told her it was shingles, after a few months of being in utter agony they realised she had bone cancer and that it was eating away her rib cage and spine, she had radiation to try and reduce the tumours. She passed away around 6 months later

    Fizzy , Wavebreakmedia/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #14

    Woman holding her forehead in pain while another woman comforts her, illustrating incorrect medical diagnoses impact. I kept collapsing, the doctors said it was anemia. Collapsed at work and was rushed into hospital. I HAVE A HEART CONDITION AND COULDVE DIED

    Yasmin_Atlanta , Rawpixel/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #15

    Doctor in white coat using medical equipment, representing wildly incorrect medical diagnoses impacting lives. Had a really bad kidney stone. I was [urinating] blood as dark as black ink. The doctor told me it was just blood from my periods

    Firamary , fentonroma/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #16

    Person holding their knee outdoors, illustrating pain related to wildly incorrect medical diagnoses. I was misdiagnosed with arthritis, and then fibromyalgia. I have ehlers danlos syndrome. They just assumed joint pain meant arthritis

    Jackie , YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #17

    Doctor reviewing medical information on a tablet with patient in hospital gown discussing incorrect medical diagnoses. my intracranial pressure was so high i woke up blind in one eye…went to the hospital and they said it was ANXIETY and sent me home…ended up having brain surgery 3 months later

    gracek.0625 , sarawut20003/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #18

    Young woman outdoors, holding her head in pain, illustrating stress from wildly incorrect medical diagnoses. bacterial meningitis as just a headache

    Juggsy , AtlasComposer/Envato (not he actual photo) Report

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    #19

    Doctor in white coat and stethoscope standing in hospital hallway with medical staff, highlighting medical diagnoses issues. told i was having anxiety attacks in a&e and to leave me be… 2 hours later i was intubated in icu and diagnosed with epilepsy

    beccaxbailey , StreetOncamara_From_Twenty20/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #20

    Doctor wearing blue gloves using stethoscope on patient’s back marked with green spots showing medical diagnosis errors. my daughter had chicken pox and was unable to walk, talk, or wee and had a temp of 40. she lost all feeling from waist down. I took her to a&e 3 times. was told it was flu

    Lauren Middleton , bilanol/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #21

    Sad young girl in pajamas hugging a teddy bear by the window, representing the impact of incorrect medical diagnoses. Daughter was 7 and was constantly passing urine, drinking & sleeping. 1st, 2nd & 3rd doc said viral and I was paranoid . By 4th visit she was blue lighted to hospital & diagnosed with type 1 diabetes

    Ayeesha.xo , Vitolda Klein/Unsplash (not the actual photo) Report

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    #22

    Young woman outdoors clutching knee in pain, illustrating effects of incorrect medical diagnoses on health and wellbeing Diagnosed with growing pains until I was 20…. It was actually Ehlers Danlos

    Lucie , leungchopan/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #23

    Nurse checking blood pressure of female patient in hospital room highlighting incorrect medical diagnoses risks. One of my best friends was literally dying in front of us. She was told by nurses she should get her act together, cause her daughter needed her. She couldn't keep food or drinks down

    Patricia Pommerenka Svendsen , babucha000/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #24

    Doctor in white coat consulting patient, illustrating medical diagnoses discussion in a bright clinical setting. Was diagnosed in 2008 with depression and anxiety, but I didn't find that out until 2023. In 2008 I had filled out a form and been told, "have you ever tried not to think like that?" and left ashamed

    Adelle Hay , ckstockphoto/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #25

    Female doctor examining patient closely with medical device, highlighting issues related to incorrect medical diagnoses. "it's just an ear infection" no actually it was a cholesteatoma that eroded 2/3 of my hearing bones & was eroding my mastoid/facial bones & that's why i couldn't hear out of my left ear for 6 years

    hal , YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #26

    Woman experiencing headache and stress, highlighting the impact of wildly incorrect medical diagnoses on lives. Migraines - turns out my brain was being squashed by excess fluid and also starting to fall out of my skull

    Mollie , YuriArcursPeopleimages/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #27

    Young woman resting on a couch with a cold compress on her forehead, illustrating impacts of incorrect medical diagnoses Diagnosed with extreme morning sickness in pregnancy as a lesbian on the pill with multiple negative test results

    Connie , Rawpixel/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

    #28

    Elderly man in hospital bed with hand on forehead, showing distress during a discussion about incorrect medical diagnoses. my grandad went to the doctors as he was slurring his words/ couldn't walk properly just very ill they told him ' oh it's just your diabetes get your blood sugar up' 2 days later and he ended up spending 6 months in hospital over having an abcess infection on his spine and has to get a bit of bone near his neck taken out and almost died , the hospital also tried discharging him after a week being there as they thought he was just dehydrated , luckily we refused to take him home and then they properly did tests and everything

    Christine , Iakobchuk/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #29

    Female doctor in white coat sitting in office, reflecting on wildly incorrect medical diagnoses impacting patients. The gynaecologist told my mum I was in labour when I twisted my ovary

    Therealhollyjo , svitlanah/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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    #30

    Male doctor in white coat with stethoscope stands confident while nurse works on computer in medical office setting A mass in my stomach and intestine that had put many holes in my intestines and executive liver disfunction being diagnosed as constipation

    Random.person.1919 , DragonImages/Envato (not the actual photo) Report

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