Diseases & Conditions Archive

Recurrent Urinary Tract Infections

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• With each of the bladder or urinary tract infections that you have you had, as far back as you can remember:
  • What were the dates of each?
  • Was a urine culture done to prove you had an infection?
  • What treatment was given, and how quickly did you get better?
  • Did you have a fever, pain in your back, or nausea and vomiting?
• Have you ever been told that you have abnormalities in the way your kidneys or bladder, or the tubes connecting them, are built?
• Do you frequently develop bladder or urinary tract infections after sexual intercourse?
• Do you have any chronic medical problems (for example, diabetes or neurological disease)?
• Are you on any antibiotics to prevent recurrent bladder or urinary tract infections? If so, which one?
• If you are a woman, what type of contraception do you use (for example, a diaphragm, spermicide)?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Abdominal exam
• Genital exam
• Back exam for the presence of tenderness in the area of the kidneys

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Clean-catch urine specimen for urinalysis and culture
• Ultrasound of the bladder
• Full pelvic/renal ultrasound
• Abdominal CT scan
• Cystourethrogram

Shingles

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Do you have a history of chicken pox?
• Does your skin hurt, itch, or feel numb?
• Is the pain sharp, dull, or piercing? How long have you had it?
• Do you have a rash? If so, for how long?
• Is the rash in more than one place on your skin?
• Is the rash on one side of your body only?
• Has the rash at any time looked like small blisters?
• Do you still have pain even if the rash is gone?
• What triggers the pain (for example, a light touch)?
• Do your symptoms interfere with your ability to sleep or perform activities of daily living?
• Are you taking any medications?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Skin exam almost always confirms the diagnosis

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Skin scraping to examine under the microscope, or for viral culture, immunofluorescence, or polymerase chain reaction testing (rarely needed)

Spinal Stenosis

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Where is the pain in your back?
• Does it radiate to your legs?
• Is it worse when you walk?
• Does the pain from walking occur suddenly or gradually?
• Is it relieved by standing?
• Is it relieved by sitting or lying down?
• What bothers you more, the pain in your back or the pain in your legs?
• Does the pain worsen when you cough or sneeze?
• Do you have numbness or decreased sensation in your legs?
• Have you had problems with your balance?
• Have you had any changes or difficulty in your ability to urinate?
• How long have you had the pain?
• Is it getting worse?
• How much does it limit your usual activities?
• How is your quality of life affected by the pain?
• Have you ever had spinal surgery?
• Have you ever injured your back?
• Have you ever had hip surgery?
• Do you have diabetes?
• Do you have poor circulation, such as peripheral artery disease?
• Do you have foot ulcers?
• Have you ever had vascular surgery?
• Do you have any sort of neuropathy (nerve damage)?
• What are you doing to treat the pain?
• Have you seen a physical therapist?
• Are you interested in an injection of a cortisone-like medication into your back? Do you know anything about this procedure?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Spine
• Hip
• Pulses in the feet, behind the knee and in the groin
• Neurologic exam

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• X-rays of the spine
• CT scans of the spine
• MRI scans of the spine

Thrombocytopenia

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• What medications do you take (including over-the-counter drugs and herbal remedies)?
• Have you been ill recently?
• What other medical problems do you have?
• Could you be pregnant?
• Have you ever been tested for HIV?
• Have you had fever?
• Have you had rashes?
• Have you had diarrhea?
• Have you had abdominal pain?
• Have you had headache?
• Have you had neurologic symptoms?
• Have you been lightheaded?
• Have you been short of breath with minimal exertion?
• Have you had chest pain or pressure?
• Have you had a cough?
• Do you have any bruises or nosebleeds?
• Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth?
• If you are a woman, have you had unusually heavy menstrual periods?
• How long have you had symptoms?
• Does anyone else in your family have low platelets?
• How many alcoholic beverages do you drink in an average week?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Eyes
• Mouth
• Heart
• Lungs
• Abdomen
• Skin

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Blood tests, which might include complete blood count with microscopic evaluation, kidney function tests, liver function tests, antinuclear antibody, an HIV test
• Bone marrow biopsy

Multiple Myeloma

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Have you had any recent infections?
• Do you know when to call your doctor with symptoms of infection?
• Do you have pain in any of your bones? If so, is it constant, or does it occur only when you move?
• Have you had any recent fractures?
• Do you have pain in your spine? Does it radiate to another part of your body?
• Have you noticed a decrease in sensation or strength in your hands or feet?
• Have you had loss of bladder or bowel control?
• Do you know when to seek medical attention for back pain?
• Have you been fatigued?
• Have you been lightheaded?
• Have you been short of breath with minimal exertion?
• Do your gums bleed when you brush your teeth?
• Do you bruise easily, or get nosebleeds?
• Have you been weak, nauseated, constipated, or confused?
• Have you had a headache or a change in your vision?
• Can you feel any lumps or masses under your skin?
• Are you aware of the possible complications that can develop from multiple myeloma?
• Do you know which symptoms should cause you to call your doctor?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Skin
• Heart
• Lungs
• Arms and legs
• Spine
• Neurology examination (to check for strength and sensation in your hands and feet)
• Lymph nodes (neck, axilla, and groin)

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Blood tests for complete blood count, electrolytes, kidney function, uric acid, calcium, and beta-2 microglobulin
• Serum protein electrophoresis or SPEP
• Urine protein electrophoresis or UPEP
• Quantitative immunoglobulin levels in the urine and blood
• Immunoelectrophoresis
• 24-hour urine collection for protein
• Bone marrow biopsy
• Skeletal radiographs
• CT scan
• MRI scan

Mitral Valve Prolapse

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Have you had an echocardiogram?
• What did it show?
• Does your mitral valve leak?
• Do you get chest pain?
• What brings it on?
• How long does it last?
• What relieves it?
• Do you ever get a rapid or pounding heartbeat (palpitations) for no reason?
• How long does it last?
• Do you feel faint or develop chest pain or shortness of breath?
• Have you ever fainted?
• Do you get short of breath when you lie down or exert yourself?
• Have you ever taken any medications for your heart?
• Did you develop any side effects from these medications?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Heart rate, blood pressure, and weight
• Heart (sometimes while you are standing, squatting, or performing other maneuvers)
• Lungs

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Electrocardiogram
• Echocardiogram
• Holter monitor or event monitor

We know how helpful it is to have "when you visit your doctor" questions handy at your medical appointments. Here at Harvard Health Publications, we have prepared these additional sets of questions you can print out and take with you so you'll know what to discuss with your doctor. Here are some of the topics available to help you partner with your doctor to get the best medical care: Parkinson'’s disease, cataracts, gallstones, pregnancy, and many more.

Insomnia

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Are you particularly stressed at work or at home?
• Are you depressed or anxious?
• Do you have any underlying medical problems such as hyperthyroidism or sleep apnea?
• Do you snore?
• Do you have chronic pain or difficulty breathing at night?
• Do you have restlessness or twitching of your legs at night?
• Do you drink caffeine-containing beverages after noon (such as coffee or sodas)?
• Do you use stimulants? Drink alcohol? Take sedatives? Smoke cigarettes?
• Do you take any medications?
• What time do you usually go to bed?
• What time do you get up in the morning?
• Do you eat or work before going to bed?
• Have you noticed changes in your sleep patterns?
• Do you wake frequently at night?
• Do you feel tired during the day?
• How long do you stay in bed before you fall asleep?
• Do you have worries about not sleeping?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Blood pressure, heart rate, weight
• General physical exam

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Complete blood cell count
• Thyroid function
• Sleep study with monitoring of heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen level, eye movements, and brain waves

Inguinal Hernia

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Do you have pain in the lower abdomen or groin area?
• Have you noticed a bulge in your lower abdomen or groin area?
• Does lifting heavy objects, coughing, sneezing, or straining increase the size of the bulge?
• Can you push the bulge back in?
• Do you suffer from constipation?
• Have you had bloody stools?

Your Doctor Might Examine the Following Body Structures or Functions:

• Careful abdominal exam
• Groin exam (including testicular and scrotal exam in men)

Your Doctor Might Order the Following Lab Tests or Studies:

• Stool sample
• Abdominal/Pelvic ultrasound
• Abdominal/Pelvic CT scan

Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)

Questions to Discuss with Your Doctor:

• Do you have pain or cramping in the lower stomach?
• How often do you get the pain?
• Is the pain related to meals?
• Do you suffer from constipation and small bowel movements?
• Do you have diarrhea that alternates with constipation?
• Do you have frequent bloating and gas?
• Do you have a feeling of fullness in the rectum?
• Is there a family history of inflammatory bowel disease?
• Do you have a history of mental illness or depression?
• Are there any things causing unusual stress in your life?
• Please describe your diet in detail.

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 and cultures
• Conventional abdominal X-rays
• Endoscopy or sigmoidoscopy
• Barium enema
• Complete blood count and other blood tests