Question

In family practice clinic you are seeing a markedly overweight 62-year-old woman who works as an admitting clerk in another medical clinic. The patient has not been to a doctor in many years. She reports burning pain in her feet for six months. You want to check her blood sugar to rule out diabetes. What is the recommended information-sharing statement/ question before sending her to the lab?

Answer 1

Answer:

The best answer to the question: What is the recommended information-sharing statement/ question before sending her to the lab? Would be: "Can you try and describe, or explain, the burning pain in your feet?

Explanation:

The reason comes from the fact that this question will shed light into the type of pain and the characteristics of it, and thus whether a possible diabetes is the source, or if there might be another reason behind, that might explain the pain. This source of information will allow the clinician to determine what types of diagnostic tests to order, and exactly what to look for, as well as it will allow the clinician to start working from signs and symptoms, the probable  cause for the pain that has been present for around 6 months.