Many people, after speaking to a doctor, stay with the feeling that this conversation was conducted in completely different languages. Such misunderstanding can lead to serious consequences. That’s why it is important to be able to clearly specify and briefly describe what’s bothering you.
When speaking to a doctor you must give answers to the following questions: under what conditions you’ve been injured? what part of body is injured? type of pain? intensity of pain? frequency of pain? duration of pain?
What hurts? How you’ve been injured?
You have health problems? You’ve got some kind of injury? Previously, the pain was weak, but recently it started seriously disturbing you? You suspect that the pain is related to a certain type of your activity, but you are not sure of that? Do you think the pain is related to your old injuries?Then try to explain everything to the doctor, and do not try to find the answers by yourself.
Type of pain?
What type of pain do you feel? Sharp, dull, stabbing, cutting, pressing, burning, aching? Maybe it’s tingling or numbness?
Some examples of pain:
Sharp pain is usually very short, but when feeling it people cannot move, it’s difficult to breathe.
Dull pain starts gradually, at first people usually ignore it. Then the pain becomes more intense, so you will notice it for sure.
A burning pain is often felt when touching your skin.
A tingling pain is like pricking with needles, the bite of an ant or a weak electric shock.
Numbness – a lack of sensitivity of any part of the body, like after Novocaine.
The frequency and duration of pain?
How often do you feel the pain? Is it constant? It hurts you only on weekdays? The pain becomes stronger once a month or once in two years? Does it hampers your sleep? How long bouts of pain last? If you feel pain constantly, so it is chronic. The pain starts in the middle of the day or after it ends? Answers to these questions will help the doctor to find the cause of your pain and the method of getting rid of them. People are often unaware that their pain may be related, for example, to the changes of weather.
A few years ago I had some health problems, and I made a visit to the doctor without waiting. And I don’t regret, now I’m health already. So, I wish you to be healthy, and if something is bothering you, do not wait, visit your doctor.
Further reading: How to overcome fear of doctors
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