A healthcare provider will diagnose arthritis with a physical exam. They’ll examine your affected joints and ask about your symptoms. Tell your provider when you first noticed symptoms like pain and stiffness, and if any activities or times of day make them worse. Your provider will probably check your range of motion (how far you can move a joint). They may …
Takayasu’s Arteritis
Your healthcare provider’s diagnosis of Takayasu’s arteritis is based on a combination of factors, including: Complete medical history and physical exam to exclude other illnesses that may have similar symptoms. Your provider may hear an unusual sound called a bruit through their stethoscope. If you have a lot of narrowing in your blood vessels, it can be hard for blood to move …
Giant Cell Arteritis
Your healthcare provider will ask about your medical history and perform a physical examination. They’ll check to see if your pulse is weak. They’ll also examine your head to look for scalp tenderness or swelling of your temporal arteries. What tests will be done to diagnose giant cell arteritis? Your healthcare provider will first order blood tests, like erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein, to measure …
Arteriovenous Malformation
Your healthcare provider will ask you about your symptoms and do a physical exam. They’ll sometimes listen for a bruit, which is a rapid blood flow sound they can hear in arteries and veins when there’s an AVM. What tests will be done to diagnose an arteriovenous malformation? Imaging tests providers use to detect arteriovenous malformations include: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). …
Arteriosclerosis / Atherosclerosis
To diagnose atherosclerosis, your healthcare professional examines you and listens to your heart. You usually are asked questions about your symptoms and your family health history. You may be sent to a doctor trained in heart diseases, called a cardiologist. Your healthcare professional may hear a whooshing sound when listening to your heart with a stethoscope. Tests Tests may be …
Heart Arrhythmia
To diagnose a heart arrhythmia, a healthcare professional examines you and asks about your medical history and symptoms. You may have tests to check your heart and to look for health conditions that can cause an irregular heartbeat. Tests Tests to diagnose a heart arrhythmia may include: Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This quick test measures the electrical activity of the heart. …
Chiari Malformation
A healthcare provider will diagnose a Chiari malformation after a complete physical exam. Your provider will test your movement, balance and the sensations in your hands and feet. In addition, they’ll look for memory problems, learning challenges and developmental delays among children. To confirm a diagnosis, a healthcare provider will order imaging tests to see a detailed image of your brain …
Broken Arm
A healthcare provider will diagnose a broken arm with a physical exam and some imaging tests. Providers in the emergency room might diagnose the fracture if you’re taken to the ER after trauma like a car accident. Which tests will I need? You’ll need at least one of a few imaging tests to take pictures of the fracture: X-rays: An X-ray will confirm …
Viral Hemorrhagic Fevers
Providers might suspect you have a VHF based on your symptoms and certain risk factors (like your travel history). They’ll also test samples of your body fluids for signs of viruses. To get samples and perform tests, they might do: Blood tests. Throat swab. Urinalysis. Lumbar puncture (spinal tap).