Visiting the doctor can be unpleasant at times. Of course, it depends on the problem we have, but in general, hospitals aren’t the place we would ever wish to find ourselves at, unless it’s for a joyous occasion such as giving birth.
People ‘reveal ‘awkward’ encounters with their doctors on Reddit and as much as some of them are unpleasant, there are also those that are just hilarious.
1. Unusual Condition of a Patient’s Blue Hands Turns Out to be Blue Jeans
Not me, but my roommate had to see a doctor because his hands were turning blue. He was born prematurely and has always had poor circulation. So, he went to the doctor, who was so confused by the situation that she consulted with other doctors.
She came back with alcohol wipes, and the blue color started fading. It turned out that he hadn’t washed his new jeans, and the ink was transferring onto his hands every time he put them in his pockets.
2. Going Commando Leads to an Awkward Encounter
I had a physical exam and forgot to wear underwear. I usually go commando unless I’m wearing a short dress, so when my doctor told me to “put on the gown but keep your bra and underwear on,” I felt embarrassed.
When he tried to lift my gown to examine my stomach, I turned bright red and said, “I’m not wearing underwear.” He gave me a strange look in response.
3. A Cough Turns Into a Burp
When I was younger and playing peewee football, I had to go for a sports physical. I was pretty young at the time. When the doctor asked me to turn my head and cough, I panicked because I hadn’t coughed in a while, so instead, I ended up burping.
4. The Doctors Clashed over Shorter Limb
My left leg is slightly shorter than my right leg (around 1.5 cm, so not too noticeable), and when I was younger, I had to see a specialist because I also had scoliosis.
The doctor was an older German man, and he had three international interns: one from South Africa, one from Mexico, and one from China.
After reviewing the x-rays, the German doctor came back and told me that my right leg was shorter than my left, pointing to a hip misalignment in the x-ray. I corrected him, but he insisted that my right leg was shorter.
The South African intern stepped in to correct him, explaining that the German doctor was looking at the X-ray backward. The German doctor refused to believe it, and their argument became so intense that the Mexican and Chinese interns decided to leave the room.
5. Motorcycle Mishap Becomes a Timeless Family Tale
I was about five years old at the time.
We had a large field next to our home, where my two older brothers and I used to ride our mini motorcycle. One day, I ended up crashing the bike and injured my leg quite badly.
I was then taken to the nearby doctor to get stitches. As he pulled down my little pants, it became clear that I wasn’t wearing any underwear. Even now, two decades later, I still have a scar on my leg. And the story of me not wearing underwear continues to be a regular tale shared by my family.
6. John Cusack, you say?
A few years ago, I came down with the flu, so my wife took me to a 24-hour emergency clinic near our home. The doctor on duty, a woman in her mid-30s who was somewhat attractive, was examining me.
While my wife waited in the reception area, the doctor turned to me and said, “You look just like John Cusack” (which, to be fair, I do). I mentioned that I hear that a lot, but she kept repeating it, and her tone began to feel a bit unsettling.
As I lay there trying not to pass out, the doctor started playing with my hair while continuing to talk about John Cusack—just as my wife walked in.
7. Baby Talk Blunder: The OB’s Humorous Comment
When I was newly pregnant with my daughter, I visited my OB for a pelvic exam. After getting into the stirrups, the doctor examined me and casually said, “Oh, you’ll be fine if you have a big baby; there’s PLENTY of room in here.”
I’m sure she was referring to my wide pelvic arch, meaning I’d likely have no trouble with a vaginal delivery. However, what I heard was something entirely different.
8. A Comment Turns Into a Compliment
When I was ten, I ended up in the ER with a ruptured appendix. The doctors had difficulty diagnosing me and decided to send me for an enema.
As the doctor performed the procedure, I said, “You must be the least popular doctor in the hospital.” Without missing a beat, he replied, “I don’t get many thank-you cards.”
9. An Awkward Encounter with an Attractive Doctor
It wasn’t overly awkward, but it was April Fool’s Day, and before heading to class, I decided to use the bathroom. To my horror, the toilet paper was completely red.
Panicked, I rushed to urgent care, convinced I was bleeding internally. I paid the $100 fee and was examined by a very attractive doctor. She asked me to bend over so she could check my buttocks, which was definitely the awkward part for me.
After the examination, she assured me I was probably fine as long as I wasn’t in pain. An hour later, I was at home still worried when it hit me—I’d eaten an entire bag of Flaming Hot Cheetos the night before while drunk. Turns out, those snacks can turn your poop red.
10. Taste Buds!?
I had a sore throat, and while trying to examine it in the mirror, I noticed large, pink spots on the very back of my tongue.
I spent a week worrying about what they could be and why they weren’t going away. My mom eventually got concerned and took me to see the doctor.
After checking my throat and tongue, the doctor explained that what I was seeing were my taste buds. This incredibly stoic man smiled wider than I’d ever seen. My family still teases me about it to this day.
11. A Fart Mishap Leaves the Doctor Wondering
When I was about eight months pregnant, I went to see my doctor. At that stage of my pregnancy, I was extremely gassy, and holding it in would get painful after a while.
While sitting in the office, I felt the urge to fart but decided to hold it, thinking the doctor would arrive any second. After waiting 15 minutes, I finally let out a small fart—barely audible, but it smelled awful.
Just 30 seconds later, the doctor walked in and immediately asked, “What is that smell?”
12. This Took a Different Turn
When I hit 30, I suddenly became a full-blown hypochondriac, convinced that every little thing was cancer or worse. During my annual check-up, I told my doctor about some discomfort on the left side of my chest.
I nervously asked, “I know it’s rare, but could it be breast cancer?” (For context, I’m a man.) The doctor carefully examined me and then, keeping a completely straight face, asked, “Does the pain get worse when you have your period?” That marked the end of my hypochondria phase for the year.
13. The Awkward Hug Fail
After not seeing my doctor for over a year, I was surprised when he greeted me outside the exam room with open arms. Thinking he was going in for a hug, I started moving toward him.
To my embarrassment, he took a step back and gestured more clearly for me to enter the room ahead of him. Feeling sheepish, I just lowered my head and walked in without saying a word.
14. An Emotional Hospital Visit
When I was sent to the “renal” unit at the hospital, I completely freaked out. I had a full-blown panic attack, crying for an hour because I thought it meant I was going to have a certain uncomfortable procedure done.
Here’s the kicker—I was only seventeen. Looking back, I probably should have paid more attention during health class.
15. My Sports Injuries Turned to a Normal Conversation
This isn’t one specific moment, but every time I visit the doctor for a sports injury, the routine is always the same. I walk in, insisting, “It hurts so bad!”
The doctor asks, “Does it hurt when I do this?” I respond, “No.” Despite more probing and tests, I keep saying, “No, it doesn’t hurt now.” Eventually, the doctor just concludes, “I think you’ll be fine.”
16. I Accidentally Kissed the Doctor’s Hand
While taking my one-year-old son to the doctor for a suspected ear infection, things got a bit awkward. As the doctor examined him, my son started getting upset. I held him on my lap, whispering to calm him down.
At one point, as a way to soothe him, I kissed the top of his head—only to realize the doctor had just placed his hand there. Without saying anything, I quickly pulled back, and we both silently acted like it never happened.
17. From Giggles to Gas
When I was fourteen, I had terrible acne and looked like a walking pizza. My mom took me to see a doctor, and things started out fine. The doctor, a kind woman in her 50s, asked, “Do you get any pains around here?” while making hand gestures toward her crotch.
Being a teenager with an immature sense of humor, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing. I tried to suppress it by coughing, but in doing so, I accidentally let out a fart. Let’s just say it was a moment I’ll never forget.
18. The Holiday Hymns Added a Merry Twist to Gynecologist Visit
As a student, I always schedule appointments during my winter break. One year, during my gynecologist visit, the office was playing Christmas carols to set a festive mood.
Right as I climbed onto the table for my pap smear, the choir started singing, “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful.” The timing couldn’t have been more ironic—or awkward.
19. The Quirky Dentist’s Chair That Gave Me Giggles
I’ve never experienced anything truly mortifying, but there’s one thing that makes me anxious about visiting the dentist. It’s not the poking around in my mouth or enduring the occasional scrapes and twinges—I can handle all that just fine.
The real issue comes when the dentist or hygienist pumps the lever to raise the chair in those little jerky movements. For some reason, it always makes me giggle uncontrollably. While that might have been adorable when I was six, it feels downright odd now that I’m twenty-six.
20. Wisdom Teeth Aftermath
After having my wisdom teeth removed, I was still under anesthesia and waiting for my ride in a fairly crowded lobby. I vaguely recall spotting someone else with a bunch of gauze sticking out of their mouth, which made me burst out laughing.
When my friend arrived, they found me laughing at my own reflection in the mirror. Concerned, my friend asked the receptionist if I was okay, and she replied, “Oh yeah, he’s been like that for over five minutes now.”
21. The Day a ‘Zit’ Took Center Stage
I noticed a small lump on the side of my chin and figured it was just a pimple. But after a few months of it sticking around, I started to worry and decided to see a doctor.
The doctor examined it for a moment, then suddenly gave it a hard squeeze. It hurt—a lot. Turns out, it was a zit. When it popped, he exclaimed, “Woah! It hit the wall!” Then, without missing a beat, he pointed at the splatter and said, “We’ll sanitize that later.”
22. Strange smell
My husband started developing a terrible smell… I mean, he REEKED. Concerned, I scheduled an appointment with a urologist and decided to accompany him for support. He went into the doctor’s office, and the door closed behind them.
Just five minutes later, the doctor came out, his face flushed. When he saw me, he struggled to contain his laughter.
Doctor: “You might want to go in and see for yourself.”
Confused, I asked, “Doctor, what’s going on? Why are you laughing?” Moments later, my husband emerged from the office, looking uncomfortable.
Him: “Honey… I don’t know how to say this… but I’ve been cheating on you.”
His confession hit me like a ton of bricks, shattering my heart into pieces. I stared at him, desperately searching for any trace of the man I thought I knew, but all I saw was someone I didn’t recognize. The doctor, sensing the weight of the moment, quickly excused himself, leaving us in a silence filled with tension and pain.
As the truth settled in, I realized the terrible smell had been caused by a venereal disease, one the doctor had just diagnosed him with. Knowing I didn’t have it, his betrayal became glaringly obvious. That moment was a painful awakening to the reality of our relationship.
Have you ever found yourself in an awkward situation at the doctor’s?