How to Clearly Explain Your Medical Symptoms To Your Doctor Via Phone

Noticing a strange abnormality on any part of the body can be extremely worrying especially when you've no idea what it is, where it came from, if it's contagious, and more importantly, how serious it could be. And trying to explain this problem over the telephone to a doctor can be worth its weight in gold... That's if you can provide enough information about the exact problem - only then will you get a better and quicker diagnosis, not just to cure it, but for peace of mind.



A lump - bump - lesion could mean its either above, protruding from the skin, or from under the skin, inside the body (a swelling - something pushing upwards with no visible marks other than a lump/swell.



Lump In, Or On Parts of the Body: 
"I found a lump of gold! The actual size can mean anything to anyone - describing your exact symptoms can be worth its weight in gold, that's if you can detail any problem using just words. 

The Size / Diameter: How round is it in relation to everyday well-known objects such as an apple or orange pip. A penny or dime. It's Height. how high does it protrude? The Location: The exact 'part' of the body it's located at. How Long you've had it for?  How painful is it and what causes it to hurt? Is it painful to the touch, or do you have to press firmly before it hurts? It may ache, or feel like a stinging, jabbing or burning sensation. How hard or soft is it when slight pressures applied? Explain what it feels like in relation to well-known items. Maybe its as hard as a rock, an orange, or a marshmallow for examples.  Discharge - Is it seeping fluids? Explain the colour and consistency of any discharge. What makes it better or worseDo painkillers or anti-inflammatory tablets make it worse or do they have no effect?  Lifestyle description. Explain anything you think may have caused it. Have you been anywhere new? eaten anything differently? Lost or put on weight? Have you been on any new medication or treatment? Side effects 'can' cause potential swelling of parts of the body. A new lump on the body can be harmless or non-cancerous, yet could be something more serious, so it's always best to visit your doctor as soon as possible. Breast and testicles should be checked daily.

I had serious pains in the heart area, a new pain never experienced before. I observed all the symptoms to make sure I got the right help. 

Invisible Pains

Sometimes, it can be hard to get a diagnosis of a problem even after being peered at, poked and prodded - even X-rays and scans might not reveal the problem which could take years to diagnose correctly. I never take any doctors diagnosis at face-value. I need a 2nd, even 3rd opinion from another specialist. February 6, 2018. Google's A.I (artificial intelligence) can diagnose problems earlier than doctors. Dr Chris Steele. ITV This Morning.

Describe where the pain is. Example, It was on the left side of the chest, just above the 3rd left rib, and feels like its coming from the heart area. Another example was when I had severe sharp needle stabbings by the appendix area. Luckily, a clever doctor realised it was a 'nerve' related pain. Later I realised it was 'stress-related-pain'. I eliminated the stress, and the pain went. How long have you had the symptoms? and is it getting any better or worse? Describing the pain. Is it throbbing? does it ache? Is the pain sharp, dull, or stabbing?  What makes it better or worse?  Does it hurt when you breathe in or out, or when you move on bend over in a particular position? Even something we might think is 'just as a headache' could be something far more serious. Or, it could be self-inflicted by what you did or ate, so research can help before visiting a doctor.

Back Pain
The majority of people have back pain and is a common problem - whereas the minority may have some serious underlying reason for it. It could be cancer deposits, fracture of the spine or an infection like TB of the spine, multiple sclerosis, so red-flag symptoms are when your ill, have a fever, you've lost weight or being treated for something already, or you may have something wrong with your immune system that might suggest something like TB. I had back pain for two years before finally being diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. Telling a doctor you have a back-ache is never enough, and doctors don't have time, nor do they ask all the questions needed to make a proper diagnosis, so they send you to another specialist for intrusive X-Rays and MRI scans which could be expensive if you have to pay for your health-care. Explain as much as possible about your general medical history and surgical history.


The general consensus for people with general back-ache are - not lying down for long periods of time - keep the back moving with gentle back exercises.


Rashes & Skin Problems.

There are hundreds of skin problems - List of skin complaints. Giving as many details about the problem can give you peace of mind or to get help fast - because it may be contagious and seeking medical intervention can help minimise the risk of scaring.

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The problem - Location - Size and colour. The (above-left image) - Describe 'each mark' as much as possible and then describe how many of them are roughly on the arm. (above right image) It looks like the map of Australia and is about 3 inches long at its length, and two inches wide. It's a red/pink mark/blemish. It may have the appearance of an orange peel, (rough) or tomato skin (smooth). How long have you had it for, and is it getting worse? Does it itch? Is it painful, or only painful to the touch? Does it flake or peel on its own or only when scratched? 

To squeeze (lance) or not to squeeze, that's a very complicated question? 
Most spots are automatically squeezed, but when I had a lump appear just below my ear, about half the size of a cherry tomato and slightly painful to the touch. It was finally diagnosed as a 'sebaceous cyst'. The research suggested I could 'squeeze' all the puss out, other websites were saying 'do not squeeze'. I decided to leave it, keep it clean with warm salt water, don't touch it, and consume turmeric daily. It eventually cleared after two weeks.

Pain is 'not' natural - there is a reason for it. Your lifestyle and family history all play a part in the majority of pain abnormalities, illness and diseases that occur on or in our bodies.
It could be the cause of a stress-related pain, sleeping badly, a disease, sitting or lifting heavy items incorrectly.
  • Out of sight, out of mind: Moles on back: Take a photo every three months of any moles, especially where you cant see them. That way you can keep a record of the slow change of colour and size which could be the deadly cancer melanoma. Use a mirror or ask a friend to help. Write down all your symptoms long before you get to see a doctor, and never exaggerate any problem to a specialist.
  • Use a body lotion to massage your entire body daily - by doing this, 1, helps to stretch every part of the body making it more supple. 2, helps to search and look-out for any abnormalities, and 3, It stimulates the muscles and reduces stress, and you'll have softer skin. Applying slight pressure helps to look out for any abnormalities under the skin to catch it quick - not forgetting the armpits and in between toes.
  • It's not just lumps-and-bumps to look-out for. Parts of the body/skin can become 'indented', where the skin sinks downwards - shrinks, especially on woman's breasts, but can appear in other areas and especially need checking-out asap. 
  • Pain can be anything from mild, severe, face-contorting, teeth-clenching to screaming in agony. Explain your pain.
  • Learn the names of every muscle, ligament and bone. That way, you can explain the exact location of any problem.
  • The more you detail, the bigger the picture becomes. enabling a doctor, specialist, friend or family to help better evaluate your problem, and eliminate any other potentially serious problems - especially if the problem is in a 'private area' you'd rather not show unless you have to.
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About TOWP - theonlywayproductions.blogspot.co.uk - tinyurl.com/towpblog - 29.03.2018.

5 comments:

TOWP Health said...

April 2, 2018. A cancer survivor whose bone eating mass was confused for arthritis now defies her disability as a 'bionic woman' by performing incredible aerial yoga feats. Brenda Kennedy, 40, from El Paso, Texas, USA, was diagnosed with chondrosarcoma, a cancer forming in her right knee, after noticing a dull aching pain. CatersNews.

TOWP Health said...

When a person is diagnosed with dementia, they are being diagnosed with a set of symptoms. This is similar to someone who has a sore throat. Their throat is sore but it is not known what is causing that particular symptom. It could be allergies, strep throat, or a common cold. Similarly, when someone has dementia they are experiencing symptoms without being told what is causing those symptoms. alzheimers.net.

TOWP Health said...

April 4, 2018. A woman whose had crippling stomach pain left her wanting to die says she had almost 100 doctor appointments before being diagnosed correctly. Issie Lowe, 21, said medics mistook the agonising symptoms she had suffered since she was a teen for period pains. She was finally told she had endometriosis. It sees tissue behave like the womb lining and grow somewhere else in the body including the bowel, bladder and ovaries, causing internal bleeding. She hopes treatment will ease the incurable condition and aims to raise awareness. The Sun.

TOWP Health said...

October 7, 2017. Some woman have denser breasts than others who have a higher proportion of fat in their breast tissue. (Dense breasts are made up of mostly fat and contain little fibrous and glandular tissue) You can't tell by the look or feel. Its something that can only be picked up on x-ray tomography where dense breasts look whiter, and less dense ones darker. In some countries such as the UK, this characteristics has been largely ignored, but that might change after recent research in the U.S showed that breast density isn't only a major risk factor for breast cancer, for some women, its the most important one. The largest study that's ever been done with over 18,000 breast cancer cases, and over 200,000 woman, by and large, breast density was the most important risk factor whether you were pre-menopausal, or postmenopausal. Breast density accounted for over a third of breast cancers in a pre-menopausal woman and in post-menopausal woman it was 26%. Other risk factors such as family history of breast cancer. Less than 10% of breast cancer develops because of having those risk factors. Breast density is primarily determined by genetics. Its estimated that 45% - 60% of breast density is herdable. The other 45% of breast density can be modified. What modifies it the most is ageing, breastfeeding, tamoxifen or drug used to prevent breast cancer can reduce breast density. BBC World Service: Health Check.

TOWP said...

March 6, 2018. Nursery nurse Charlotte Thomson, now 21, of Newcastle upon Tyne, had regular periods and was still slipping into her size 8 dresses in the nine months before she gave birth - she had no idea she was expecting. It wasn't until she took herself to hospital with bleeding and painful stomach cramps that medics told her she was nine months pregnant and in labour. Daughter Molly arrived two hours later. Mail.