Helpful Information for Your Doctor

Before you go to the doctor it may be helpful to think about the details of the symptoms you are having. Often, the more information you provide your doctor the easier time she will have making a correct diagnosis.

Here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself about your symptoms so you are more prepared to talk about them during your next doctor’s appointment. Symptoms indude:

Chronic Cough
Shortness of Breath
Wheezing

Chronic Cough

How long have you had the cough?
Did your cough start with an illness or a lung infection?
Do you cough all of the time, or only during or after activity?
Do you cough after meals?
What time of the day is your cough the worst?
Do you cough up mucus? If so, what color is the mucus? Is it thick and viscous, or is it thin and runny? How much mucus do you cough up?
Do you have chest discomfort with your cough?
Do you experience wheezing with your cough?
Have you had a fever recently?
Have you lost weight recently?
Do you ever have night sweats?

Shortness of Breath

For how long have you been feeling short of breath?
How often do you feel short of breath?
Are you short of breath all of the time, or only during or after activity?
Do you limit the kinds of activities you do because of shortness of breath?
Do you also have a cough?
Do you experience wheezing with your shortness of breath?
Do you experience any chest pain?
Have you had a fever recently?
Have you lost weight recently?
Do you ever have night sweats?

Wheezing

For how long have you been experiencing wheezing?
Are there certain seasons or times of the year that you wheeze more than others?
During what part of the day do you typically wheeze?
Is it worse at certain times than at others?
Do you feel ‘tightness’ more in your throat, or in your lungs?
Do you also cough?
Do you also feel short of breath when you wheeze?
Do you ever feel like you’re choking?
Do you feel any nasal discharge in the back of your throat (post-nasal drip)?
If so, is the discharge thick and viscous, or thin and slimy? What color is the discharge? How much mucus are you producing?
Do you ever experience a gagging, or choking sensation?
Do you feel like you have to clear your throat all of the time?
Have you had a fever recently?
Have you lost weight recently?
Do you ever have night sweats?

Note: A chronic cough, shortness of breath, or wheezing can be symptoms of serious medical conditions. If you experience any of these symptoms, we recommend that you see a doctor.

Note: This information is provided to you as an educational service of National Jewish Health. It is not meant to be a substitute for consulting with your own physician.