<http://schema.org/articleBody>
"Talking to your doctor\u2014and I mean every aspect of it from your tone of voice to the symptoms you mention first\u2014really does make a difference in the care you get. I&amp;#039;ve seen this first-hand with my husband. I&amp;#039;ve accompanied him on his last few visits to the doctor, and now I understand why he can never quite explain to me what went on at the visit. Here&amp;#039;s what you can learn from the two big mistakes he makes: -Don&amp;#039;t minimize your symptoms. I&amp;#039;m not saying you should be overly dramatic, but once my husband waited so long to see the doctor about stomach pain that when he finally did, he walked into the doctor&amp;#039;s office hunched over and had to go directly to the ER. (He was OK.) I realize that there&amp;#039;s a little fear and denial going on; no one wants to think they have a serious health issue. But part of what helps the doctor make a diagnosis is evaluating the severity of the symptoms\u2014and you&amp;#039;re key in helping her do that. -Don&amp;#039;t be vague. Luckily my husband almost always tells me what&amp;#039;s bothering him before the appointment, so I ask questions like, how long have you had the symptom, how often and when does it happen, etc. so he&amp;#039;ll be more specific once we get there. A medical visit can get overwhelming fast, so it pays to be prepared! -Amy Brightfield, Health Director "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.womansday.com/health-fitness/a44774/listen-up-doc-2156/>