BBC - Health - Talking to your doctor - Doctor-patient communication

BBC - Health - Talking to your doctor - Doctor-patient communication: "Around 80 per cent of the information your doctor needs to make a correct diagnosis comes from what you say. The remaining pieces of the puzzle are found when you're examined and from tests.

This verbal information - known as your 'history' - is important and is often obtained in two ways:

* your answers to their questions
* what you say without being prompted


Often it's a little piece of information that you feel is irrelevant that cracks the diagnosis

Never be afraid to give your doctor information as very little of it will be unhelpful. Often it's a little piece of information that you feel is irrelevant that cracks the diagnosis.

Give your doctor as much information as you can. If there's anything you think they need to know - that you're taking supplements or over-the-counter medication, for example - then say so. Doctors are human too and may forget to ask certain things."