Lehet-e távolról diagnosztizálni vagy kezelési tervet készíteni?
I understand this. I have accompanied a sick relative from one doctor to another myself, and I know what it’s like when uncertainty feels heavier than the illness. This article is for those considering writing me a letter, e-mail or comment — and who want to know in advance what they can expect from me and what they cannot.
Key idea
Remote medical advice has its limits — not because I am stingy with time, but because without a diagnosis and a personal examination, a responsible physician cannot give a specific treatment plan. What I can help with: orienting, guiding, and showing the way.
The three most common types of questions I receive
The letters I receive can be grouped into three main categories.
This is perhaps the most common letter: someone describes their symptoms in detail and asks me to tell them what disease they have and what treatment to start. I understand this wish — diagnostics takes time, waiting lists can be endless, and uncertainty is exhausting.
The problem is that without a diagnosis there is no adequate therapy. If we don’t know what the problem is, the suggested treatment is at best a guess — at worst it may mask a more serious condition, or even worsen the situation. That is why a responsible physician can never "skip" the steps of investigation — even if the patient is impatient.
What can I say in such cases? Only which specialist you should start with, or which diagnostic directions are relevant based on your complaint. That doesn’t free you from undergoing investigations — but it may get you to the right specialist faster.
Another common letter comes from people who already have a pile of reports — blood tests, MRI scans, specialist opinions — yet no clear diagnosis has been made. These letters typically arrive with deep frustration: “someone please tell me what’s wrong with me”.
Here you must understand: I cannot remotely extract more from your reports than the doctors who saw you in person. They had the opportunity for physical examination, time for conversation, the right to initiate targeted further tests, and in many cases decades of specialist experience in the relevant field.
What can I do then? I can say which additional tests might be considered. But I cannot give a new diagnosis “over the internet”.
This is the clearest situation. There is a medical diagnosis — for example osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain, COPD, high blood pressure, insulin resistance. The writer asks me which device to buy, for how many minutes, how often, and where to use it.
It’s important you understand: I can help in a general direction — which family of devices to choose from, what lifestyle principles apply to your condition, what to pay special attention to.
However, I do not write individualized daily protocols remotely, because for that I would need to know your full medical history, comorbidities, medications, current physical status, and to follow and assess changes in your condition regularly. Only the clinician or therapist who meets you regularly, examines you and assesses your condition can provide that.
Three concrete letters from my inbox
To make the above points clear, I’ll show three reader letters. All three are real questions — only identifiable details have been changed. The three letters show well where the boundaries of remote advice lie.
First situation – After spinal surgery, can I use an electrostimulator?
Reader letter
“I would like your advice. I had spinal surgery in March 2026. I have a TENS/EMS device — can I use it already, and how? My left lower leg burns and is numb up to my big toe; from the lower back both the outer sides and fronts of my thighs are numb, burning and often cramp. My lower back hurts.”
What do I see in this letter? There is a diagnosis (post-spinal surgery state), there is a device (TENS/EMS), and there are concrete symptoms (burning, numbness, cramps, low back pain). There are two specific questions: whether they can use the device yet, and how.
What I can say remotely: This is a complex situation and exactly the kind where a true individualized plan can only be created by the "teamwork" of several professionals. In your condition, gradual rebuilding of the spinal support musculature is key — and multiple professionals together can provide the answer:
- Your treating physician (e.g. GP or rehabilitation specialist) defines the treatment plan and determines whether rehabilitation (exercise and physiotherapy, etc.) can be started and whether there are any contraindications at all.
- The physiotherapist designs which exercises you can do, in what order and intensity, taking into account the specific surgical technique used on you. The medical-fitness trainer working with movement therapy ensures that everyday activities (including sitting, standing, walking or lifting with correct posture) and rehabilitative (sport) activities are appropriate and do not set back recovery.
- The physical therapist determines on which day, on which program and with which electrode placement your device can be used safely — tailored to your symptoms.
- If you are overweight, a nutrition counselor can help design a diet that supports optimal body weight.
- Other therapists, including a psychologist, can contribute to maintaining motivation and achieving success.
For spine complaints, at least two professionals working together (movement specialist and physical therapist) can create a personalized plan. With good coordination, strengthening the spinal support muscles through physiotherapy, conscious movement and physiotherapy modalities (including TENS and EMS) usually yields good results.
What I CANNOT provide remotely for you:
- Which day, for how many minutes, at what intensity to use TENS
- Whether you can place electrodes directly over your surgical scar — your surgeon/rehabilitation physician is best placed to judge this
- Whether the burning and numbness are due to further neural or spinal abnormalities that require targeted investigation (control MRI, neurology consult)
What is your next step?
Contact the surgeon who performed the operation or the physician responsible for your rehabilitation. If there is no physiotherapist on the team yet, ask your GP for a referral. The use of the TENS/EMS device is authorized by the physician leading the rehabilitation; the protocol is defined by the physical therapist!
Second situation – “I saw a vagus nerve device, which one should I buy?”
Reader letter
“I’d like to ask: I saw a product in the video for treating the vagus nerve. Unfortunately I have these diseases, and my symptoms are getting worse. Can I use the device? Which one should I buy?”
What do I see in this letter? There is interest in a device (vagus nerve stimulator), there are symptoms (“getting worse”), and an important missing piece: there is no specific diagnosis. “These diseases” — but which ones is not specified. There is no information about previous treatments, current medications, age, or possible cardiac or neurological conditions.
What I can say remotely: With this letter I cannot give any responsible device recommendation — and not because I don’t want to help. It’s because vagus nerve stimulators are medical devices that may help in certain conditions and have no effect in others. Furthermore, contraindications such as arrhythmias, pacemaker, pregnancy, certain neurological conditions, or prior neck surgery may affect applicability. Without knowing the diagnosis and circumstances, I cannot recommend any device — because it might be contraindicated in your situation.
What I tell the letter writer (and you if you’re in a similar situation):
- First, discuss your symptoms with your GP and request an evaluation. If you know which “diseases” the video mentioned, write them down precisely — because they may not even apply to you.
- If you have a specific diagnosis, ask your treating physician whether home vagus stimulation is not contraindicated in your condition.
- If your doctor confirms this is a viable option, return to my blog — and I will help you decide which criteria to consider when choosing among methods and devices.
Third situation – “I bought the device, I want a treatment plan”
Reader message
“I’m buying the PeroBravo. I’ll contact you later for commissioning and usage guidance.”
What do I see in this message? We previously discussed the condition, the diagnosis is known, there are no contraindications. However there is a common misunderstanding: the customer assumes that the webstore selling the technical device — or the blogger writing about the topic — is automatically obliged to provide an individual treatment plan after purchase.
The reality is: they do not. Medimarket is a store selling healthcare devices, not a therapy clinic. I, Dr. Zátrok, am an educational blogger — not your treating physician, not your therapist. Therefore we must separate who provides what after such a device purchase:
| Who provides it? | What do you get from them? |
|---|---|
| Medimarket (seller) | The device, the basic user manual, the factory warranty, service support |
| Dr. Zátrok (product selection expert, educator) | General knowledge: where to turn it on, how to choose a program, basic principles for selecting current intensity, what to watch for when starting |
| Treating physician / specialist | Authorization that you can use the device in your condition, and under what circumstances |
| Therapist (physiotherapist, physical therapist, manual therapist) | The individual treatment protocol: how often, when, on which program, where to place the electrodes, how long, when to progress to the next level |
This division upsets many. “Why don’t I automatically get a treatment plan if I buy a device for hundreds of euros?” Let me give two analogies that make it harder to argue:
Two analogies to make it clear
Stove: You walk into an appliance store and buy a stove. The next day you call them: “You sold it to me, so now explain how to cook paprikash potatoes!” Customer service will tell you how to install the appliance, how to turn it on, what each button does and how to switch it off — but they won’t teach you how to prepare a particular dish. Go to a neighbor or a cooking course to learn that.
Car: A car, even if it costs tens of thousands, does not include driving lessons. Driver training is another business, another professional’s job. The car dealer will tell you where the washer fluid is, how to refuel, what the dashboard icons mean — but learning to drive safely on the road is the driving school’s job.
The same applies to home medical devices. The seller and the professional blogger help with general use — the personalized application is the job of the doctor and therapists who work with you.
What I can tell you remotely about any electrostimulation or similar device:
- How to commission it (powering on, charging, basic settings)
- The general differences between programs
- What to watch for at the start — gradual increase of current intensity, sensation control, safety checks
- When NOT to use it — general contraindications (pregnancy, pacemaker, active tumor, etc.)
- How to maintain and clean it
What I CANNOT tell you remotely:
- The specific program, intensity and usage frequency for your diagnosis — your therapist composes this
- The electrode placement for your specific complaint
- When to progress to the next level, when it’s worth modifying the program
What is your next step?
If you have bought the device or are considering buying: (1) consult your treating physician to see if you can use it in your condition; (2) ask for a therapist (physiotherapist, physical therapist, manual therapist) who will create the individual protocol; (3) for general usage questions, feel free to contact Medimarket customer service or my blog.
The lesson from the three letters
In the first case I could give an orienting guide to the team because there was a diagnosis. In the second, even what was necessary for orientation was missing — so the GP is the starting point. In the third case we must clarify a common misunderstanding: purchase and an individualized treatment plan are two different things, provided by two different professionals. This is not stinginess — this is division of professional labor.
The house-building metaphor — who is responsible for what?
I often tell patients: improvement is like building a house. Everyone has their role, and if anyone drops out of the process, the final result suffers.
The architect designs the house — calculates load-bearing, tells where walls and how big windows should be. In your treatment this is the role of the GP and the specialist: they diagnose, set up the treatment plan, and prescribe medications.
The mason, carpenter, electrician, tiler, painter — each handles a trade, and without them the house won’t be completed. In your treatment they are the therapists: the physiotherapist, dietitian, psychologist, manual therapist, respiratory therapist. Each is an expert in their part and will teach you their method.
The interior designer helps make the result livable and helps navigate the many options. That’s my role, and similar educational expert roles: I point the direction, help you understand devices, and explain why something works and how the parts fit together.
And finally there is someone without whom nothing works — the client/homeowner. The one who moves in and maintains the house day by day. In your treatment that is you. The doctor writes a prescription, but you take the medicine. The physiotherapist shows the exercise, but you do it daily. The dietitian composes the diet, but you shop, cook and adhere to it.
What does this mean in practice?
One person, one professional cannot build you a healthy life alone. It takes a team — and the team captain is you. You request referrals, you follow your reports, you ask about uncertainties, you decide what you build into your daily life.
What I can provide remotely, and what I cannot
To avoid ambiguity, let me list precisely what I can help you with by letter, blog post or YouTube — and what I cannot.
What I can help with
| Topic | How can I help? |
|---|---|
| Understanding your illness | I explain the biological background and the mechanisms involved |
| Home medical devices | I present device families: what they’re for and how they differ |
| Orientation | I tell you which specialist to see and which reports you should request |
| Lifestyle principles | I share what dietary patterns and types of exercise may support your condition |
| Warning about dangers | I point out when NOT to use a device and what to watch for |
| Scientific context | I explain in plain language what recent research says about your condition and potential home treatments |
What I CANNOT do remotely
It is equally important that you understand what I cannot do — and if someone offers to do these remotely, be very cautious:
- I cannot examine you — I cannot press your joint, listen to your lungs, or inspect your skin up close
- I cannot take your medical history — a detailed medical interview (history, family background, medications, allergies) often takes hours and must be done live
- I cannot interpret your reports in full context — interpreting an MRI is the work of specialists who view it alongside the clinical picture
- I cannot prescribe medication or order specific investigations
- I cannot write an individualized treatment plan — i.e. which day, how many minutes to use a given device
- I cannot replace your treating physician or therapists in any form
An important warning
If anyone promises that they can make a diagnosis and provide a concrete, individual medication or device usage plan based on a single e-mail or a single photo — be cautious. That is not responsible medical practice and does not comply with national healthcare regulations.
A te szereped: Te vagy a folyamat motorja
Now the most important point I want you to take away from reading this article. The engine of improvement is not the doctor, not the therapist, and not me — it is you yourself.
The doctor establishes the diagnosis and prescribes the treatment. The therapist teaches the technique. I help you understand the process. But the daily work depends on you: taking medication, doing the exercises, following the diet, managing stress, improving sleep, perhaps quitting smoking.
I don’t say this to shirk responsibility. I say it because clinical experience clearly shows: the people who achieve the most noticeable improvement are those who become active participants in their own care — they ask questions, read up, follow progress and report back to their physician. They are not passive recipients of care.
Key idea
Your most valuable contribution is not money or time — it is active participation. Understanding what is happening to you, following the steps, and giving feedback to your care team.
How to use remote advice wisely?
Now that we’ve clarified the boundaries, let’s look at practical ways to use a source like my blog, my YouTube channel or Medimarket’s professional content intelligently:
Step 1 – First see a doctor
If you have a new complaint or one that has been ongoing, your starting point is your GP. They refer you to specialists and handle referrals. Don’t skip this step — treatment without diagnosis wastes time and money, and is often risky.
Step 2 – Once you have a diagnosis, gather information
On my blog, YouTube channel and in Medimarket product descriptions you can learn which devices and lifestyle solutions may be relevant to your condition. Bring this knowledge to your treating physician: ask specific questions and discuss them.
Step 3 – Discuss specifics with your treating physician
If you want to buy a device or change your lifestyle, get your treating physician’s approval. A 15-minute conversation can prevent many misunderstandings and help integrate the new approach with other medical treatments.
Step 4 – Involve the appropriate therapists
If your problem is musculoskeletal, ask for a physiotherapist. If you want to change nutrition, see a dietitian. If mental load or stress burdens you, consult a psychologist. One person cannot be expert in everything — and they don’t need to be.
Step 5 – You are the maintainer
Daily routine is yours. Nobody else will do the walk, the exercises, or the mindful eating for you. Don’t let that pressure you — perfection is not the goal. Eighty percent adherence over months is worth more than striving for perfection for three weeks.
My tip for your next message
If you write to me, help by immediately stating in your message: (1) whether you already have a medical diagnosis, (2) what treatment you are currently receiving, (3) what you want to understand or decide. This helps me respond in the most useful way — and avoids answers about what I cannot do.
Frequently asked questions
Because a concrete daily protocol depends not only on the diagnosis but on your full medical picture: comorbidities, current medications, age, physical condition, and how you respond to treatment. Only someone who examines and follows you regularly can see and monitor all this. Anything created remotely on these bases would not be responsible medical advice.
Because by understanding the biological background of your condition, the overall picture of treatment options, and what different professionals can offer you, you will have much better conversations with your treating physician. An informed patient reaches appropriate care faster and can participate more actively in their own improvement.
Unfortunately this is real in many places. First: prepare consciously for the visit. Write your questions down in advance, bring copies of your reports in an organized form, and clearly state what you want to decide or learn. If you still feel you cannot find the right specialist, ask your GP whether they have a colleague with more time and experience for your problem.
A second opinion means that another specialist, typically in the same field, reviews your reports and gives an opinion on the previous diagnosis or treatment plan. It’s worth asking for when you face a major intervention (surgery, long-term medication); when the existing diagnosis is contradictory or unclear; or when months of treatment have produced no improvement.
Technically yes, because most home medical devices can be purchased freely. Responsibly, I do not recommend it — especially if you have any chronic illness, take medication, or recently had surgery. A five-minute phone call or message to your treating physician is usually enough to ensure a safe decision and that the device fits alongside your treatment instead of conflicting with it.
No. Medimarket provides the device, the factory manual, warranty and service support. I, the blogger, can share general usage principles (powering on, program selection, starter rules for current intensity, when not to use). The individual treatment protocol — which program, what intensity, what frequency, which electrode placement suits your diagnosis — is the responsibility of your treating physician and your therapists (physiotherapist, physical therapist). This is not stinginess but professional division of labor — just as your stove seller does not teach you how to cook paprikash potatoes.
Summary – What to expect and what not to expect
