Symptom Tracking 101
Whether you are looking to find a diagnosis or treat an existing health condition, your symptoms provide the clues that tell your story. As a patient, you are in the unique position to be the expert on what your symptoms feel like and what your body is telling you. Some symptoms are “invisible” to the outward eye, so ensuring you track your symptoms and share them with your doctor could make the difference in getting you to the correct diagnosis and treatment sooner.
Tip #1: Prepare the 4-Ws: Who, What, Where, When
When tracking your symptoms, there are four basic elements you should use: the who, what, where, and when. Applying these elements will help you get a handle of your symptoms and best share them to your doctor.
Who:
Can you describe the sensation that is bothering you?
Is the sensation changing? Has it been getting worse or better or is it about the same?
What:
What makes it better? What makes it worse?
What were you doing at the time you first felt the symptom?
How has the symptom changed your day-to-day functioning?
Where:
Where is the exact location of the problem? Does it stay in one place or move?
When:
When did it start? How long does it last? How often does it happen?
Is there a certain time of day when it gets better or worse?
How frequently do you experience the symptoms? Every day? Every few days?
Tip #2: Be descriptive in explaining how your symptoms feel
When you aren’t feeling well, it might be challenging to put that feeling into words. First, you need to identify the name of your symptom. Tools like WebMD’s Symptom Checker allows you to find the name of your symptoms via a body map.
Once you find the name of your symptom, you’ll want to think about how to specify how that symptom makes you feel. You may think about categorizing the severity of the symptoms on a scale of 1 to 10. Additionally, the more detailed you can be with specific adjectives, the more information you can give your doctor that helps them identify ways to help you feel better. Some words that can be used to describe pain or discomfort include:
Pulling
Pulsing
Quivering
Radiating
Scalding
Searing
Sharp
Shooting
Sickening
Sore
Splitting
Squeezing
Stabbing
Stinging
Swollen
Taut
Tearing
Tender
Throbbing
Tight
Tingling
Tiring
Tugging
Waves
Aching
Burning
Constant
Cramping
Crushing
Cutting
Deep
Drilling
Dull
Electrical
Exhausting
Flickering
Gnawing
Heavy
Hot
Intense
Itchy
Nauseating
Numb
Penetrating
Piercing
Pinching
Pins and Needles
Pounding
Prickly
Another tool to describe how a symptom feels is a metaphor. Examples might include “walking up a hill with a weight on your back” or “an elephant sitting on your chest.” While it may not be exact, a metaphor provides a sense of the impact of your symptoms.
Tip #3: Track your symptoms
According to the Pew Research Center, 33% of U.S. adults track a health indicator like weight, diet, exercise or symptoms of a chronic condition. By creating a log of your symptoms, you can 1) more easily identify trends, and 2) have a record to share with your doctors. Of those patients who track, 53% living with 2+ conditions say it has led them to ask a doctor new questions or to seek a second opinion, compared with a third of trackers with no chronic conditions, and 45% living with 2+ conditions say it has affected a decision about how to treat an illness or condition, compared with a quarter of trackers with no chronic conditions.
There are a variety of ways to track your symptoms. Some may use paper, like a notebook or journal. Others may use some form of technology to track their health data, like a spreadsheet tool or app. The best way to record your symptoms is the way that works best for your everyday lifestyle. Regardless of how you track, make sure it is in a format you can either show your doctor in your appointment or you can use for reference during your doctor’s visit. At a minimum you should bring a list with the names of the symptoms, but the more detail you provide, the better.
Tip #4: Don’t be afraid to be totally honest
Sometimes the symptoms you experience could feel embarrassing. Yet, it is essential to be absolutely honest with your doctor, as withholding information could make it difficult to diagnose or treat your symptoms. Even if you aren’t comfortable sharing certain symptom information with family and friends, you should know that your doctor is trained to deal with every kind of bodily function, so it’s highly likely that a symptom that might cause you shame is something your doctor has seen before.
How Chronius Can Help
Looking to track your symptoms, but overwhelmed by the process? Chronius has a built-in symptom tracker, designed with user ease in mind. So, you can quickly identify trends, and share your symptoms with your doctor at the click of one button. Our symptom tracker enables you to rate your symptoms’ severity and optionally add notes, triggers, and photos.
Interested in learning more and signing up for our waitlist? Visit chroniushealth.com and claim your spot today.
