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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYour family doctor or a skin specialist (dermatologist) can diagnose athlete's foot. Because appointments can be brief and there's often a lot of ground to cover, it can help to be well prepared. Here are some tips to help you get ready for your appointment and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your appointment. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out. For athlete's foot, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What might be causing the signs and symptoms?
- Are tests needed to confirm the diagnosis?
- What is the best course of action?
- Is this condition temporary or chronic?
- Is there a generic alternative to the medicine you're prescribing?
- Can I wait to see if the condition goes away on its own?
- What can I do to prevent the infection from spreading?
- What skin care routines do you recommend while the condition heals?
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- When did you first notice your symptoms?
- What did the rash look like when it first started?
- Is the rash painful or itchy?
- What, if anything, makes it better?
- What, if anything, makes it worse?
- Does a family member also have athlete's foot?
- Goldstein AO, et al. Dermatophyte (tinea) infections. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 22, 2008.
- Habif TP. Superficial fungal infections. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Inc.; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/104355536-2/742469442/1195/81.html?printing=true. Accessed Sept. 22, 2008.
- Drugs@FDA. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/drugsatfda/index.cfm. Accessed Sept. 22, 2008.
- Andrews MD, et al. Common tinea infections in children. American Family Physician. 2008;77(10):1415-1420.
- Gibson LE (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic Rochester, Minn. Oct. 16, 2008.
