Understanding the role of the medical practitioner in treating you for a condition is important. It is a professional doctor-patient relationship. Therefore, the doctor might ask you questions, which you would never even have thought to answer if those questions were asked outside the examination room.
However, the questions the medical practitioner asks pertain to your health, helping the doctor to gain a better understanding of the circumstances surrounding the medical condition, what has been done in treatment of it before you have visited the doctor, and how long you have suffered from it.
You might be uncomfortable with the questions and hope to self-diagnose rather than visit the doctor. Although the Internet has a plethora of information to help you make a self-diagnosis, the issue is that many of the conditions share symptoms. Unless the whole picture is known and taken into account, it is hardly possible to come up with more than an educated guess. Even if a friend had suffered similar symptoms in the past, it does not mean what you are experiencing is related.
Each person’s situation is different and that is why personalised healthcare from a qualified medical practitioner is essential. If you self-diagnose and it seems right at first, but a few months down the line, the condition becomes worse and other parts of your body are affected, it may already be extremely complicated.
That said, even if you had self-diagnosed and had treated yourself with over-the-counter medication or a home remedy, and the condition did not clear up, you can still visit a medical practitioner at Intercare to help diagnose and treat the condition. It is important to be honest about the home treatments, why you thought that the symptoms might have indicated a particular condition, previous similar conditions you might have experienced, and complications as the result of the conditions.
Self-diagnosis can be informed, but if there is a hidden and more difficult to spot underlying issue at hand, you might miss it and endanger your life in the process. To this end, an expert medical practitioner is only a phone call away or even better, you can use our convenient online booking system to find a doctor near you and book an appointment. It is convenient and quick.
To help you become more comfortable with a physical check-up or examination to determine the cause of your condition, let us look at the types of questions you can ask the physician about the condition:
If the healthcare professional suggests tests, it is normally to confirm the diagnosis or to find out the underlying cause of the condition. If you are unsure about testing, ask the doctor:
Once the test results are available and shared with you, there might be more questions. If you are unsure about the terminology used by the medical practitioner, ask for clarification. If the test has been performed by a specialist, you might want to ask for a copy of the test and results to be sent to your general practitioner (GP) as well for record-keeping purposes.
Questions You Might Have About the Diagnosis
Once the doctor has made a diagnosis, the next step is to discuss treatment options. Keep in mind that the medical practitioner makes a diagnosis based on the information in your file about your health history, the information you share about your symptoms, the physical examination performed, and the results of any screenings or tests performed. The doctor follows the standard procedures for getting to an accurate diagnosis.
It is imperative that you understand the particular condition as this will help you understand the treatment course, what to avoid during the period of treatment, and how to prevent a recurrence, where relevant. Do not be shy. Ask the doctor to explain the diagnosis, the condition, and treatment plans. Ask about risks, side-effects, duration of treatment, and possible outcomes. Some conditions cannot be cured quickly, whilst others cannot be cured at present but can be managed. If the latter, ask about the best ways to manage the condition.
Questions You Might Have About Prescription Medication
Remember that the doctor’s goal is to treat the diagnosed condition with the best possible outcome for you as the patient. Your health and well-being are at the core of the doctor’s treatment. Also note that the doctor prescribes medicine they deem as the best for the situation. If you want a more affordable alternative to a specific prescription medication, ask the doctor for such.
The same holds true if you think there is a high chance of an adverse reaction to the medication due to your past experience. Open communication is essential to ensure you receive the best treatment, inclusive of the medication. If you are unsure, ask about the possible side effects. Also be sure to notify the medical practitioner if you are using any other type of medication at present, even if only aspirin, painkillers, or a sleeping aid. Even if you supplement with vitamins, you need to tell the physician.
Carefully follow the instructions regarding the usage of the medicine. Use only as instructed and for the period for which prescribed. Do not use the medicine for other conditions. Also note that the specific combination selected by the doctor works. If you replace one medicine with another, it could affect the outcome of the treatment. Before you do so, you need to consult the physician.
Where to Find the Appropriate Medical Practitioner to Treat Your Particular Conditions
Use our convenient online search facility to find a specialist or general practitioner near you. You can also visit your nearest Intercare centre. To this end, use our facilities search function. Make the best of your time by booking an appointment online from the convenience of your home or office. If you cannot travel, book a virtual appointment.