Some questions to consider when preparing to speak to your doctor
If you have chronic or persistent pain, the following questions will help you to explain the pain - and its effects on you - to your doctor:
Pain:
- Where does it hurt? List all the places.
- When does it hurt? In the morning, all day or mainly at night?
- What does the pain feel like? Burning, stabbing, dull, aching, tingling, pounding pressing.
Medicines:
- Tell your doctor what you are taking to treat your pain. They may be prescribed by a doctor or a pharmacist or you may buy them from a healthfood shop. Your doctor will want to know about what drugs, vitamins, herbs or other medicines (example Traditional Chinese Medicine) you may be taking.
- What helps relieve your pain?
Other Treatments:
- Do you try other treatments to relieve your pain? Do they work? Examples: exercise like walking, acupuncture, hydro-therapy, physiotherapy, others.
Lifestyle:
- Does your pain affect your lifestyle? Are you as active as before (golf, walking, playing with the grandchildren, cooking, gardening, cleaning, shopping)
- Does your pain interrupt your sleep?
You can print this page and take it with you when you visit your doctor.
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