This article originally appeared on Tesh.com
To get the best possible healthcare, we have to be active participants in the process. So we have tips from Dr. Roshini Raj, Health magazine’s medical editor, on what doctors want you to know. These are the seven things every patient must know.
- First, tell you doctor exactly what’s going on with you upfront. Don’t wait until the end of an exam to share intimate or embarrassing details with him. Also, just so you know, they don’t care if you haven’t shaved your legs.
- Next, don’t think you have every ailment out there. A lot of people self-diagnose and think they need a certain drug because they heard about it in a commercial or saw an ad in a magazine. The only way to know what medicine you need is to let a doctor examine you.
- Forget what you’ve seen on TV. Just because you saw that some TV personality has a certain medical condition and needed a certain test doesn’t mean you do, too. Only get the tests you need!
- Another thing doctors want you to know: Your history! Doctors estimate about 70% of patients greet them with blank stares when asked questions about their family health history! That’s a problem, since your family’s health history often has a big impact on your future health. So keep a list with you of any family medical conditions you know about, along with your own medications and allergies.
- Another thing doctors want you to do is tell the truth about how much you work out. It’s like this – more is better, but anything is better than nothing, so don’t lie to your doctor about your exercise routine, or lack of one. Being busy isn’t the same as working out. Be honest about how much you drink and the medications you take. Both of those can affect your treatment.
- Getting a second opinion is fine – as long as it’s not from your mother! Relatives with similar symptoms don’t count as experts. Go to a different doctor if you want a second opinion.
- Finally, ask yourself: Is this a real emergency? Don’t rush to the ER or call your doctor in the middle of the night unless you have a serious, life-threatening health problem. At the same time, if you’re in serious danger, don’t hesitate to call your doctor, or go to the ER no matter what time it is. Use your best judgment.
