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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. In some cases, your doctor may later refer you to a doctor who specializes in vascular conditions or vascular surgery.
Because appointments can be brief, and because there's often a lot of ground to cover, it's a good idea to be well prepared for your appointment. Here's some information to help you get ready and learn what to expect from your doctor.
What you can do
- Be aware of any pre-appointment restrictions. At the time you make the appointment, be sure to ask if there's anything you need to do in advance.
- Write down any symptoms you're experiencing, including any that may seem unrelated to the reason for which you scheduled the appointment. Be as specific and detailed as possible in describing your symptoms, including what part of your body is affected and what adjectives you'd use to describe your discomfort.
- Write down key personal information, including any physical traumas such as a car accident or work-related injury. Even if they happened years ago, your doctor will want to know about them. Also note any repetitive physical activities that you've performed — now or in the past — at work, in sports, and with hobbies and other recreational activities.
- Make a list of your key medical information, including other conditions you're being treated for and the names of any prescription and over-the-counter medications or supplements that you're taking.
- Take a family member or friend along, if possible. Sometimes it can be difficult to soak up all the information provided to you during an appointment. Someone who accompanies you may remember something that you missed or forgot.
- Write down questions to ask your doctor.
Your time with your doctor is limited, so preparing a list of questions will help you make the most of your time together. List your questions from most important to least important in case time runs out.
For thoracic outlet syndrome, some basic questions to ask your doctor include:
- What is likely causing my symptoms or condition?
- Are there any other possible causes for my symptoms or condition?
- What kinds of tests do I need?
- What treatment approach do you recommend?
- How likely are nonsurgical treatments to improve my symptoms?
- If conservative treatments aren't effective, is surgery an option? Why or why not?
- Is there anything I can do to prevent a recurrence of this problem?
- Will I need to change my job?
- Do I need to limit or give up other activities that may be causing my symptoms?
- If you're recommending weight loss, how much weight do I need to lose to notice an improvement in my symptoms?
- I have these other health conditions. How can I best manage them together?
- Should I see a specialist? What will that cost, and will my insurance cover seeing a specialist?
- Are there any brochures or other printed material that I can take home with me? What Web sites do you recommend visiting?
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. Being ready to answer them may reserve time to go over any points you want to talk about in-depth. Your doctor may ask:
- When did you first begin experiencing symptoms?
- How would you describe your symptoms?
- Have your symptoms changed or gotten worse over time?
- Where does your pain or discomfort seem to start? Where does it travel from there?
- Does the pain or numbness worsen when you lift your arms overhead?
- Does anything else seem to worsen or improve your symptoms?
- What activities do you perform on your job?
- Do you or did you play sports?
- What are your hobbies or most frequent recreational activities?
- Have you been diagnosed or treated for any other medical conditions? When?
What you can do in the meantime
While you're waiting for your appointment, try taking a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), such as aspirin or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin, others). Your discomfort also may be improved if you maintain good posture and avoid repetitive movements and lifting heavy objects, if possible.
- Sheon RP. Overview of the nerve entrapment syndromes. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- NINDS thoracic outlet syndrome information page. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/thoracic/thoracic.htm. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Thoracic outlet syndrome. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. http://orthoinfo.aaos.org/topic.cfm?topic=a00336. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Thoracic outlet syndrome general information. National Pain Association. http://www.nationalpainfoundation.org/MyPain/contentdirectory_ThoracicOutletSyndrome.asp. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Thoracic outlet syndromes. Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. http://www.merck.com/mmhe/sec06/ch095/ch095e.html. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
- Thoracic outlet syndrome. Society for Vascular Surgery. http://www.vascularweb.org/patients/NorthPoint/Thoracic_Outlet_Syndrome.html. Accessed Sept. 9, 2008.
