eli5: How do doctors decide wether their patients tell the right location of their pain and how they experience it so that they can make a decision?

Question

eli5: How do doctors decide wether their patients tell the right location of their pain and how they experience it so that they can make a decision?

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Answer 1

There are two things medical personnel look at when it comes to pain

A Sign (something anyone can see)

And a Symptom (something the patient reports)

Oftentimes they will ask the patient to point to the pain, and ask open ended questions, to avoid influencing an answer.

Certain patient demographics can play into diagnose. Males and Females will often have signs/symptoms when it comes to things like a heart attack, and depending on how someone grows up, can determine how they interact with a medical professional.