How to make the most of your 15 minutes with the GP
Were you able to confidently answer all the questions?
​If you selected unsure for 1 or more questions on the quiz, it would be a good idea to begin to record your daily symptoms. While symptom tracking is especially important for people with ongoing pain, it is also important to track when you feel good as well. This way, you are not only aware of the location, frequency and activity associated with your symptoms, but you can also know when they started. ​
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Did you know "approximately 80% of all patients diagnosed with autoimmune disorders are women."
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Many disorders and diseases can have similar symptoms, which can make it very difficult for a medical professional to give you a diagnosis. Your doctor will choose which blood tests, imaging tests, and other medical tests they think you may need based off of your family history, personal history, and symptoms. So, when you are better at communicating what your symptoms are and how they are affecting your, your medical team can better determine what might be causing them.
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Fun fact: "Studies looking at testing of patients have found 40%−60% of tests to be unnecessary."
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That's a lot of tests, a lot of extra time, a lot of extra discomfort and can even cause you extra pain.
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So, what can you do? Follow our next steps below or take this quiz, AGAIN. Practice your answers for your doctor and how to describe your pain. It may just save you a lot of time and discomfort!