Assessment of your health
You should make an appointment to see you Primary Care Doctor if you are not feeling well or think that you may have arthritis. Do not try to diagnose yourself or think that it is "old age". You need a doctor to confirm what is wrong with you.
Your doctor will talk to you about the problems you are having. It is important that you share all information with him/her about your health and how you are feeling. You can help your doctor by writing down information about your symptoms before your appointment.
Bring your questions with you to your appointment. He/she will collect information by talking to you and doing a physical examination. He/she will want to know the following:
- The reason you are at the office
- What has lead up to this problem, how long have you had it, etc.
- Information about your past medical history: surgeries, hospitalizations, injuries, treatments and immunizations.
- Current health: smoking history, alcohol consumption, medications, allergies.
- Family History: age and health of parents, children, brothers and sisters. Family history is important as some illnesses may be hereditary.
After collecting necessary information from you, a physical examination may be done. This might include examining your joints and how they are moving. With all this information, he/she will determine if any tests will be needed to help diagnose what may be causing the symptoms you are having.