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what to bring with you to a new doctor

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It tin be daunting to visit a doctor for symptoms of what might be an undiagnosed medical problem. Patients oft struggle to adequately explain their symptoms during the cursory medical interview, which is an of import component of helping the medico finer diagnose your symptoms and develop a treatment plan. Your doctor is trained to aid guide y'all through the medical interview and help y'all describe your symptoms. Y'all can maximize any medical engagement by describing your symptoms in a unproblematic and concise manner that you and your physician can understand.

  1. 1

    Learn the nuts of describing symptoms. There are four basic elements you should employ to describe symptoms. Learning these will help you figure out your symptoms and best convey them to your md.[ane]

    • Tell your dr. how your symptoms feel. For example, if you're experiencing headaches, employ descriptive words like abrupt, slow, stabbing, or throbbing. Yous can utilize these kinds of terms to describe many physical symptoms.[two]
    • Explain to or show your physician the exact location in or on which you're experiencing your symptoms. You lot desire to exist equally specific every bit possible so say "the front of my kneecap is swollen and has throbbing pain" instead of something general like "I take pain on my leg."[3] Yous should too note if the symptoms extend to another location.
    • Mention how long you've had your symptoms. The more specific appointment you lot tin can pinpoint, the easier it may exist for your doctor to figure out what is causing your symptoms.[4]
    • Note how often you accept or notice symptoms. This data can also help your doctor effigy out what'south causing your symptoms. For example, y'all could say "I feel symptoms every day, especially after I work out," or "I only discover my symptoms occasionally, like every few days."

  2. two

    Figure out and write down your symptoms. It's important to recognize your specific symptoms and write them downward before you come across your doctor. Not only will this help y'all best describe your symptoms, but will besides ensure that yous don't forget to include any symptoms and how they affect you.

    • Make sure to take your list of symptoms, including the basic information on them, to your appointment with you.
    • Note if symptoms are connected to specific activities, injuries, times of day, food or beverages, and anything else that exacerbates them. Also note if they affect your life in whatsoever way.[5]

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  3. iii

    Bring a current and cumulative patient profile to the engagement. A comprehensive profile of yourself as a patient includes information on atmospheric condition, hospitalizations, or surgeries you've had, what medications you have taken or are currently taking, and any allergy to medications or foods. This will help ensure that y'all don't forget any vital information and also help your doctor empathize your medical history.[6]

    • Yous may not end up needing to refer to it, but if questions about your medical history come up up, having your patient profile bachelor volition maximize the fourth dimension you tin spend discussing your electric current medical consequence(due south).[vii]
    • Bring your current medication bottles, which listing the name & dose data. Make sure to include any herbal supplements you accept also.
    • You tin can create a patient profile past summarizing your medical history on a piece of paper.

  4. 4

    Make a list of questions y'all have for your doctor. Write downwards a listing of questions related to your about pressing concerns about your symptoms earlier you become to your dr.. This tin can as well assist maximize your visit and the time used describing your symptoms.[eight]

    • Address whatever concerns or worries you have in your questions.

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  1. one

    Remember to be every bit specific, detailed, and descriptive as possible. Every person experiences symptoms differently, and so remember to utilize vocabulary that is as specific, detailed, and descriptive as possible. This can help your md diagnose y'all and follow the progress of your care.

    • Use adjectives as much as possible. For example, if you are experiencing hurting, tell your doctor if it is irksome, throbbing, intense, or piercing.

  2. 2

    Be honest with your doctor about your symptoms. In that location is nothing yous should always experience embarrassed almost with a doctor, so be admittedly honest with your doctor. Not being honest with your doctor can make it difficult to diagnose your symptoms.[9]

    • Doctors are trained to bargain with every kind of medical contingency, so it'southward likely that a symptom that might embarrass you is something your doctor sees regularly.
    • Think that whatsoever information you give your doctor remains confidential by law.

  3. 3

    Summarize the reason for your visit. Most doctors will begin a medical interview with a question like "What brings you hither today?". Preparing a one or 2 sentence answer that summarizes your symptoms will give your doc context and help maximize your visit.

    • Some common symptoms include:Pain, weakness, Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, fever, confusion, breathing problems, or headache.
    • For example, you lot tin tell your dr. "I've been experiencing tummy hurting and vomiting for the past two weeks.

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  1. 1

    Tell the doctor about your specific symptoms and where they're located. Tell the doctor your specific symptoms from your prepared list and then testify him where on your body y'all are experiencing them. This can help your doctor formulate a diagnosis and possible treatment.

    • Call back to be equally specific and descriptive every bit possible. If you're having knee hurting, don't say information technology's on your leg, but bear witness your dr. exactly where on your knee you're experiencing the pain.

  2. 2

    Describe the onset and occurrence of your symptoms. It'southward important to tell your md when your symptoms began and how often they occur. This can assist your physician pinpoint possible diagnoses.

    • Make certain to include when your symptoms started, if they stop and the frequency with which they recur. For example, "I go bad pain right in betwixt my menstrual periods that lasts near 3 days."
    • Tell your physician how the symptoms touch your daily life and ability to part.
    • Let your doctor know if y'all've experienced the symptoms before and under what circumstances this happened.
    • Tell your doctor if you detect that your symptoms are better or worse at certain times of the day. For example, "I have much more extreme rectal itching in the evening."
    • Mention parallel symptoms or concurrent atmospheric condition. For example, you could say, "During the three weeks I've been having these fainting spells, my married woman also said that I've been looking very stake and I've also had these night-colored bowel movements and I've lost x pounds even though I'chiliad eating exactly the same."

  3. 3

    Explain what relieves or exacerbates your symptoms. Let your doctor know if anything makes your symptoms better or worse. This tin assist him formulate a diagnosis and potential treatment plan for you.

    • For example, if you take hurting, notation any movement that sharpens information technology. You lot can depict this past saying "My finger feels fine unless I curve it towards my palm, and then I experience a sharp pain."
    • Draw other triggers for your symptoms including foods, drinks, positions, activities, or medications.

  4. iv

    Rate the severity of your symptoms. Describe the severity of symptoms using a scale of ane to ten. This may help your doctor diagnose y'all and tin indicate how astute your problem may exist.

    • The scale of severity should range from one being almost no effect on you and ten being the worst possible instance y'all can imagine. Exist honest, and don't minimize or exaggerate."

  5. v

    Allow your doctor know if anyone else is experiencing the same symptoms. It's important to let your medico know if anyone else you know is experiencing the aforementioned symptoms. This can alert your doctor to a diagnosis and whatsoever public wellness problems.

  6. 6

    Repeat your symptoms if necessary. If your dr. doesn't seem to understand what yous are trying to say, repeat your symptoms using your own terms. This will help make certain your doctor gets the right diagnosis and develops the proper treatment plan.[x]

  7. 7

    Do non provide your md with a self-diagnosis. If you are seeing a doctor, chances are you are not a medical professional and thus not qualified to be making a diagnosis of your symptoms. Make sure to describe merely your symptoms to your doctor and not what condition you think you accept.[11]

    • Using your medical interview to describe potential diagnoses instead of your symptoms will take important time away from your doctor'southward ability to effectively diagnose your symptoms.
    • Expect the medico to examine you according to the symptoms you described. He then may order tests or treatments.

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  • Consider bringing a friend or family fellow member for the visit if you are non sure how to explain your physical problem correctly, if y'all are forgetful or fluster easily.

  • Make sure the manner you look is commensurate with your symptoms. For example, if y'all are lament of the worst pain of your life, don't be drinking coffee, reading a mag and answering your cell phone.

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