I'm not sure how it applies to the example given, except perhaps in the context of hypochondria, i.e., the explanation being a nonexistent illness? Hi, Robert, and welcome. Well--in the W.A.D. Anu stated: Medical students are told, for example, "When you hear hoofbeats, think horses, not zebras." Barring countries where one is actually likely to hear zebras, it essentially means look for the most common cause(s) of symptoms first, rather than immediately running through the literature on obscure diseases. Absent special circs, such as the patient having recently traveled to some exotic place.

I remember one episode of Untold Stories of the E.R. where a young woman came in complaining, iirc, of severe headaches and nausea. I'm not a medical person [shudder] so I won't try to list what was done first, second, etc. But the doc, on visit after visit, tried all the standard tests and pain relievers, etc., and could never find anything; finally they sent her to Psychiatric, which also didn't help. She decided to try leaving for college on scehedule anyway, and I guess for sentimental reasons--he felt guilty about not being able to help her--the doc decided to walk her to her car. It was something several decades old which someone had restored. He accepted her offer of a short ride, and he began to get a headache. They rushed back and got blood tests: it turned out that carbon monoxide was leaking into the interior of the car. Mystery solved.