My mother had two epidural injections and then six weeks of therapy for her chronic back pain. When the doctor asked her how she was doing, she said she was much better. We don’t really see that she’s any better. It seemed like she was just trying to please the doctor. Should we intervene and let them know?

Many patients want to please their doctor or therapist by making light of their own symptoms. Sometimes they exaggerate their improvements. There are often natural fluctuations in how patients respond to treatment. The alert doctor or therapist will be watching for overall change in the patient’s response.

They can do this in one of several ways. The first is by interviewing the patient while observing for signs of pain, dysfunction, and disability. The second is by conducting specific tests. There are formal and informal tests that can be carried out.

There are many standardized tests available to measure physical function, pain, health status, and patient satisfaction. Test scores are compared before and after treatment. But a statistically significant change in the score on these tests doesn’t always mean the patient feels or functions better.

An experienced and alert health care practitioner is often able to see what’s really going on with their patients. But talk with your mother if you feel that sharing your observations is important.

She should be encouraged to write down her concerns and questions and give them to the physician. This can help them both assess her situation and plan future treatment more carefully.