Recent Articles
An action plan to fight unhealthy inflammation
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Medicare versus Medicaid: Key differences
Prostate cancer: Short-course radiation as effective as longer-term treatments
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Gatorade. Liquid IV. Do you need extra electrolytes?
Sexual violence can cast a long shadow on health
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Diseases & Conditions Archive
Articles
When You Visit Your Doctor - Gallstones
Gallstones
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Do you have pain in the mid- or upper-right portion of your abdomen?
- Do fatty meals worsen the pain?
- Does the pain occur after eating?
- Do you have nausea, vomiting, or bloating?
- Does the pain ever go through to your back?
- Is the pain steady or intermittent?
- Have you had fevers?
- How long does it take for the pain to go away?
- Do you take any medications (for example, birth-control pills or hormone therapy)?
- Have you had any rapid weight loss?
- Have you noticed darkening of your urine or yellowing of the eyes?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Abdominal exam
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Blood tests of liver function
- Complete blood count
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Cholescintigraphy (HIDA scan)
When You Visit Your Doctor - Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Do you get a burning sensation in your chest or throat after eating?
- Do you ever have a bitter or sour taste in your mouth?
- Do you ever have bloating or nausea after you eat?
- How often do you get these symptoms?
- What do you do to relieve the symptoms?
- Are the symptoms related to physical exertion?
- Are the symptoms worse when you are lying down or sitting up?
- Have you noticed any black stools?
- Do you have a persistent cough?
- Do you have a history of ulcer disease?
- Are you taking any medications, especially ones that can irritate the esophagus or stomach, such as aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen or tetracycline?
- Do you drink alcohol or smoke?
- How soon after you eat at night do you go to bed?
- Have you tried any over-the-counter medications? If so, do they help?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Chest and lung exam
- Abdominal exam
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Upper endoscopy (internal examination of the esophagus and stomach)
- pH probe (to assess the acid level in the esophagus and stomach)
- Manometry (to measure the pressure of the sphincter between the esophagus and the stomach)
- Stool testing for blood
- Complete blood cell count
When You Visit Your Doctor - Hearing Loss
Hearing Loss
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Is your hearing loss on one side or both?
- For how long have you noticed the problem?
- Has your hearing loss been getting worse over time?
- Do you have difficulty understanding other people when they speak?
- Do you say "what?" a lot?
- When you turn on the television, do others say that it is too loud?
- Have you had any kind of ear surgery?
- Have you flown in an airplane recently?
- Do other people in your family have trouble hearing?
- Do you hear ringing in your ears?
- Do you suffer from dizziness or loss of coordination?
- Have you had multiple ear infections in the past?
- Do you currently have an upper respiratory infection (for example, a cold) or other infection?
- Have you had any head injuries or strokes in the past?
- Are you taking any medications?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Examine your ears, nose, and throat.
- Test your balance, coordination, and walking.
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Test your ability to hear.
- Formal hearing testing by an audiologist (hearing specialist)
When You Visit Your Doctor - Peripheral Artery Disease
Peripheral Artery Disease
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Do you develop pain, cramps, aches, fatigue, or numbness in your leg muscles when you walk?
- At what distance do you develop symptoms?
- Do they go away when you stop walking?
- Do you ever develop these symptoms at rest?
- Do you have decreased sensation in your feet?
- If you are a man, do you have erectile dysfunction?
- Are you doing everything possible to modify the risk factors that can worsen this disease (smoking cessation, treating elevated blood pressure and cholesterol, and controlling diabetes)?
- Are you exercising regularly and at progressively more strenuous levels?
- Are you taking an aspirin every day?
- If you have diabetes, do you practice meticulous foot care (cleaning, applying moisturizing lotions, and wearing well-fitting protective shoes)?
- Do you know when to seek emergency medical care for peripheral artery disease (if your leg becomes suddenly painful, pale, cold and numb)?
- Do you get chest pain or pressure with exertion or at rest? If so, you may have coronary artery disease.
- Do you have sudden brief episodes of blindness (like a shade being pulled over your eyes) or sudden episodes of weakness in an arm or leg, or difficulty speaking? These could be warning symptoms of stroke.
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Heart rate, blood pressure, and weight
- Pulses in your feet and groin, and behind your knees
- Listen with the stethoscope over your carotid arteries in your neck
- Heart and lungs
- Neurologic exam (reflexes and sensation in your legs)
- Muscles (looking for atrophy in leg muscles)
- Skin, looking for changes related to reduced circulation
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Blood tests, including glucose and cholesterol levels
- Ultrasound of your carotid arteries
- Doppler Ankle-Arm Indices
- Exercise Stress Test
- MRI/MRA
- Angiography
When You Visit Your Doctor - Vaginitis
Vaginitis
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- How long have you had this vaginal discomfort?
- Does it itch or burn?
- Do you have vaginal discharge? Does it have a bad odor? What is the consistency?
- Are you pregnant?
- Are you sexually active?
- Is sexual intercourse painful?
- Do you have pain or burning with urination?
- Are you urinating more frequently?
- Do you have urinary incontinence?
- Are you post-menopausal?
- Do you have vaginal dryness?
- Do you have diabetes?
- Have you recently taken antibiotics or corticosteroids?
- Is your immune system suppressed in any way?
- Do you take birth-control pills?
- Do you wear tight pants or synthetic fabrics (nylon)? (These are all predisposing factors for yeast infections).
- Have you or your partner ever had a sexually transmitted disease?
- Do you have fevers, chills, abdominal pain, joint pain, or a rash?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Abdominal examination
- Pelvic examination
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Sample of the vaginal discharge to examine under a microscope (wet smear)
- Cultures of the vaginal discharge
When You Visit Your Doctor - Osteoarthritis
Osteoarthritis
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- How long have you had painful joints?
- Which joints are involved and which are most painful?
- Is the pain worse or better after walking or other exercise?
- Does the pain wake you at night?
- Does it occur at rest?
- Do you have swelling or deformities in any joints?
- What activities can you no longer do because of the arthritis?
- How long ago did you stop doing them?
- How far can you walk?
- Do you have difficulty opening jars or grasping objects?
- Do you have any other conditions, such as heart or lung disease, that also limit your ability to function?
- What have you done to treat your osteoarthritis?
- What therapies help the most?
- Do you use a cane (for osteoarthritis of the knee or hip)?
- What medications do you take (over-the-counter and prescription) to treat the pain?
- How effective are they?
- Do you know the side effects of each medication?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Joint examination
- Muscles
- Gait
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Blood tests if your symptoms are atypical for osteoarthritis
- X-rays of the involved joints
- CT scans of the involved joints
- MRI scans of the involved joints
When You Visit Your Doctor - Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's Disease
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Do you have a tremor of the hands at rest?
- Have you noticed a slowing of your movements?
- Do you have a stooped posture or a slow, shuffling gait?
- Are you becoming more unsteady?
- Are your muscles becoming more rigid?
- Have you noticed your handwriting is getting smaller?
- Do you have any problems with speech?
- Are you depressed?
- Do you have problems with memory, concentration, or problem-solving?
- Do you have a family history of Parkinson's disease?
- Are you taking any medications?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Complete neurological exam focusing on gait, muscle tone, strength, and vision
- Mini Mental Status Exam (to test memory and concentration)
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- The diagnosis is made based on medical history and physical exam
- SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography)
- Response to drug treatment, such as a trial of levodopa
When You Visit Your Doctor - Peptic Ulcer Disease
Peptic Ulcer Disease
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Do you have diffuse or localized abdominal pain?
- Does the pain ever travel to the back or chest?
- Do you have nausea associated with the pain?
- Does eating make the pain better or worse?
- Do you have black or bloody stools?
- Do you ever vomit blood or material that looks like coffee grounds?
- Do you take any medications (for example, pain relievers)?
- Do you smoke cigarettes or drink alcohol?
- Do you drink caffeine-containing beverages?
- Have you ever been tested or treated for a bacteria called H. pylori that can infect the stomach lining?
- Do you have a family history of peptic ulcer disease?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Careful abdominal exam
- Rectal exam
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Stool testing for blood
- Blood or breath test for the presence of H. pylori
- Upper endoscopy (internal examination of esophagus, stomach, and duodenum)
- Upper GI series
When You Visit Your Doctor - Rash
Rash
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- How long have you had the rash?
- Where did it start?
- Has it spread?
- Is the rash only on parts of your skin that have been exposed to the sun?
- Does it itch or hurt?
- Is the rash red, pink, or purple?
- Is the rash smooth or bumpy?
- Have you had sores in your mouth, eyes, or other mucous membranes?
- Have you had blisters on your skin?
- Have you had trouble breathing?
- Have you had a fever?
- Have you symptoms of an upper respiratory tract infection (for example, a cold)?
- Have you had vomiting or diarrhea?
- Are you taking any prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, herbs, or supplements? Did you start any of them in the past two months?
- Have you had any new exposures to foods or chemicals?
- Any exposure to insects?
- Have you had any recent sun exposure?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Temperature
- Examination of your skin, mouth, eyes, mucous membranes, lymph nodes, liver, and spleen
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Skin scrapings for microscopic analysis or culture (if the rash looks infectious)
- Complete blood cell count or other blood tests (if you appear sick or have a fever)
- Skin biopsy
When You Visit Your Doctor - Sarcoidosis
Sarcoidosis
Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:
- Have you had difficulty breathing? For how long? How far can you walk without feeling winded?
- Do you ever have chest pain or tightness? If yes, is it related to activity?
- Have you had a persistent cough? If yes, is your cough dry or do you produce sputum?
- Do you suffer from fatigue or malaise?
- Have you had any fevers?
- Have you recently lost weight? If so, how much?
- Do you have pain in your joints, bones, or muscles?
- Have you noticed any lumps in your neck, armpits, or groin?
- Have you noticed any rashes or changes in your skin?
- Have you had blurry vision or watery eyes?
- Have you ever had red or painful eyes or a past diagnosis of uveitis?
- Do you smoke cigarettes?
- Have you had an abnormal chest x-ray in the past?
- Do you have a family history of sarcoidosis?
- Are you taking any medications?
- Have you ever been on steroids or any other treatment for you sarcoidosis?
Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:
- Temperature, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation, blood pressure, heart rate
- Heart and lung exam
- Joint exam
- Skin exam
- Lymph node exam
Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:
- Plain chest x-ray
- Chest CT scan
- Pulmonary function tests
- Bronchoscopy with lung biopsy
- Blood tests
- Formal eye exam
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Recent Articles
An action plan to fight unhealthy inflammation
How to treat spider bites and when you need to see your doctor
Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives
Skin care for aging skin: Minimizing age spots, wrinkles, and undereye bags
Medicare versus Medicaid: Key differences
Prostate cancer: Short-course radiation as effective as longer-term treatments
Lost a tooth? What to know about dental implants
Hyperbaric oxygen therapy: Evidence-based uses and unproven claims
Gatorade. Liquid IV. Do you need extra electrolytes?
Sexual violence can cast a long shadow on health
/
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