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Preparing for your appointment
By Mayo Clinic staffYou're likely to start by first seeing your family doctor or a general practitioner. However, in some cases when you call to set up an appointment, you may be referred immediately to a specialist in skin diseases (dermatologist).
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready for your appointment, and what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
Write down all your signs and symptoms and when they first occurred. Record how long the lesions lasted and if any recurred.
Bring a list of all medications, including vitamins, herbs and over-the-counter drugs that you're taking. Even better, bring the original bottles and a written list of the dosages and directions.
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 boils and carbuncles, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What might be causing the signs and symptoms?
- Are tests needed to confirm the diagnosis?
- Is this condition temporary or chronic?
- What is the best course of action?
- 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 routine do you recommend while the condition heals?
In addition to the questions that you've prepared to ask your doctor, don't hesitate to ask questions during your appointment at any time that you don't understand something.
What to expect from your doctor
Your doctor is likely to ask you a number of questions, such as:
- What did the lesions look like when it first started?
- Are your symptoms painful?
- Have you had a boil or carbuncle before?
- What, if anything, makes it better?
- What, if anything, makes it worse?
- What medications do you take?
- Habif, TP. Furuncles and carbuncles. In: Clinical Dermatology: A Color Guide to Diagnosis and Therapy. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Mosby Inc; 2004. http://www.mdconsult.com/das/book/body/103911270-3/743722527/1195/55.html#4-u1.0-B0-323-01319-8..50011-X--cesec55_993. Accessed Aug. 27, 2008.
- Baddour LM, et al. Skin abscesses, furuncles and carbuncles. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 27, 2008.
- Wolf K, et al. Section 22. Bacterial infections involving the skin. In: Fitzpatrick's Color Atlas & Synopsis of Clinical Dermatology, 5th ed. McGraw-Hill Companies Inc; 2005. http://www.accessmedicine.com/popup.aspx?aID=755117. Accessed Aug. 27, 2008.
- Tree tea oil. Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. http://www.naturaldatabase.com/(S(iyok1uyiw1fl112ek3ax2lu2))/nd/Search.aspx?cs=MAYO&s=ND&pt=100&id=113&fs=ND&searchid=11129198. Accessed Aug. 28, 2008.
- Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA). American Academy of Dermatology. http://www.aad.org/pm/temp/mrsa/qa.html. Accessed Aug. 28, 2008.
