After a visit to the family doctor, you may not receive medication even if you have been given a diagnosis. This may feel strange if you are used to doctors always prescribing something. In the Netherlands, however, it is often customary to recommend rest and time for mild symptoms, along with paracetamol to relieve discomfort, rather than heavy medication or prolonged treatment. If symptoms persist, you will be advised to come back for a follow-up appointment.

In some cases, it is important to wait and see if the symptoms improve on their own, without immediate medical intervention.

Biggest difference: In many other countries, at the slightest complaint, medication is immediately prescribed, while in the Netherlands a more patient approach is often chosen, where our body fights the disease itself. ️