Differential Diagnosis: Definition and Examples

A differential diagnosis occurs when your symptoms match more than one condition and additional tests are necessary before making an ... ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation?Visitation,maskrequirementsandCOVID-19information Home / HealthLibrary / Diagnostics&Testing DifferentialDiagnosis Yourhealthcareproviderwillcompileadifferentialdiagnosis,whichisalistofconditionsthatsharethesamesymptomstohelpmakeafinaldiagnosis.Thedifferentialdiagnosiswilldirectyourhealthcareprovidertoofferteststoruleoutconditionsandleadthemtofindthecauseofyoursymptoms. Appointments216.448.4325 Appointments&Locations SignUpforOurNewsletter Overview TestDetails ResultsandFollow-Up FrequentlyAskedQuestions DifferentialDiagnosis Overview TestDetails ResultsandFollow-Up FrequentlyAskedQuestions BackToTop Overview Whatisadifferentialdiagnosis? Whenyouvisityourhealthcareproviderwithsymptoms,theywillbeginaprocesstodiagnoseyourcondition.Sincetherearealotofdifferentconditionsthatoftensharesimilarsymptoms,yourproviderwillcreateadifferentialdiagnosis,whichisalistofpossibleconditionsthatcouldcauseyoursymptoms.Adifferentialdiagnosisisnotyourofficialdiagnosis,butastepbeforedeterminingwhatcouldcauseyoursymptoms. Whatdoesmyhealthcareprovider’sdiagnosticprocesslooklike? Thereareseveralstepsyourhealthcareproviderwilltaketomakeanaccuratediagnosisincluding: Askingquestionsaboutyoursymptoms. Reviewingyourmedicalhistory. Performingaphysicalexamination. Creatingadifferentialdiagnosis. Orderingadditionaltests. Reviewingtestresultsandsymptoms. Makingadiagnosis. Whenisadifferentialdiagnosisperformed? Adifferentialdiagnosisoccurswhenyoursymptomsmatchmorethanoneconditionandadditionaltestsarenecessarybeforemakinganaccuratediagnosis.Testswillnarrowdownpotentialconditionsonyourhealthcareprovider’sdifferentialdiagnosislist. TestDetails Howdoesadifferentialdiagnosiswork? Yourhealthcareproviderwilltrytolearnasmuchaboutyoursymptomsastheycantomakeadiagnosis.Theprocessbeginsduringanexamwhenthey'llaskquestionsrelatedtoyourconditionincluding: Whatareyoursymptoms? Howlonghaveyouhadthosesymptoms? Whatistheseverityofyoursymptoms? Next,yourhealthcareproviderwillreviewyourmedicalhistorytoseeifthesymptomsconnecttoanyprevioushealthconcernsoralreadydiagnosedconditions.Questionsaboutyourmedicalhistoryinclude: Haveyouexperiencedthesesymptomsbefore? Haveyounoticedanythingthatmighttriggeryoursymptomsormakethemworseorbetter? Haveyouexperiencedanymajorchangesinyourlife? Whatmedications,vitaminsand/orsupplementsareyoutaking? Last,yourhealthcareproviderwillperformaphysicalexaminationbycheckingyourbloodpressure,heartrateandlisteningtoyourlungs. Yourproviderwillcompilealistofpotentialconditionsthatrelatetoyoursymptoms.Toconfirmyourdiagnosis,yourprovidermightofferadditionalteststoconfirmyourdiagnosis.Testsvarybasedonyoursymptomsandcouldinclude: Laboratorytests(bloodorurine). ImagingtestslikeanX-ray. Ultrasound. Biopsy. Afteryourhealthcareproviderreviewsyoursymptoms,asksquestionsaboutyourmedicalhistoryandexaminestheresultsofanyadditionaltests,theyareabletopinpointexactlywhatiscausingyoursymptoms.They'llthenmakeafinaldiagnosisandrecommendedtreatment. WhatcanIexpectbeforeadiagnosticevaluation? Beforeyourprovidermakesadiagnosis,theywillevaluateyoursymptomsbyaskingquestionsthatgooveryouroverallhealthandyourmedicalhistory.It'simportanttobringalistofanymedications,vitaminsorsupplementsthatyoutakewithyouwhenyouvisityourprovider’sofficesotheycankeeparecordtomakesureyourmedicationsarenotinfluencingyoursymptoms. WhatcanIexpectduringadiagnosticevaluation? Duringadifferentialdiagnosis,itmightbedauntingtoseealistofpossibleconditionsthatcouldcauseyoursymptoms.Atthisstageinthediagnosticprocess,yourhealthcareproviderwilloffertestsasaprocessofeliminationtonarrowdownyourspecificdiagnosis. WhatcanIexpectafteradiagnosticevaluation? Itisimportanttonotethatadifferentialdiagnosisisnotacompletediagnosis.Itisonestepthatyourhealthcareproviderwilltakebeforemakingafinaldiagnosis.Theprocesstomakeanaccuratediagnosis,especiallywithmorecomplexconditions,cantaketimeanddoesn’thappenimmediately. Followinganevaluation,yourhealthcareprovidermightorderlaboratoryorimagingteststoconfirmdiagnostictheoriesthatwillpinpointwhichconditionismostaccurate.Aftertheofficialdiagnosis,yourhealthcareproviderwillrecommendtreatmentoptions. Whataretherisksofadifferentialdiagnosis? Adifferentialdiagnosisispartofthediagnosticprocessthateliminateserror.Yourhealthcareprovider’sgoalistotreatthecorrectconditionandnotendangeryou.Byformingadifferentialdiagnosis,additionaltestingisnecessarytoleadyourhealthcareprovidertothecorrectdiagnosisinsteadoftreatingsymptomswithoutunderstandingthecause.Ifanystepofthediagnosticprocessisincomplete,thereisariskthatthedifferentialdiagnosiswillleadtoaninaccuratediagnosis.Withthehelpofadditionaltesting,thelikelihoodoferrorafterfollowingthediagnosticprocesssignificantlyreduces. ResultsandFollow-Up Whattypeofresultsdoyougetwithadifferentialdiagnosisandwhatdotheresultsmean? Adifferentialdiagnosisisalistofpossibleconditionsthatsharethesamesymptomsthatyoudescribedtoyourhealthcareprovider.Thislistisnotyourfinaldiagnosis,butatheoryastowhatispotentiallycausingyoursymptoms.Afteryoureceivealistofpossibleconditions,yourhealthcareproviderwillcontinuetheirdiagnosticprocessbyorderingteststoeliminatepotentialconditionsonyourdifferentialdiagnosislist.Thesetestswillleadtoyourdiagnosis. WhenshouldIknowtheresultsofadifferentialdiagnosis? Eachdiagnosisisdependentonthesymptomsandcomplexityoftheconditionthatmightbecausingthem,sothereisnosettimelineastowhenyouwillknowyourresults.It'simportanttostayincontactwithyourhealthcareproviderduringyourdiagnosticprocessespeciallyifyouhaveanychangestoyoursymptomsormedicalhistory,whichcouldaffecttheresultsofyourdiagnosis. WhenshouldIcallmyhealthcareprovider? Youshouldcontactyourhealthcareproviderif: Yoursymptomsincreaseinseverityorgoaway. Youacquirenewsymptoms. Youstayinthehospitalforanyreason. Yourcurrentmedicationschange. FrequentlyAskedQuestions Whatareexamplesofdifferentialdiagnoses? Severalconditionssharesimilarsymptoms.Yourhealthcareproviderwillexamineyoursymptomsbeforemakingadiagnosisandofferingtreatment.Ifthetreatmentisnotsuccessful,yourhealthcareprovidermayofferanotherdiagnosisbasedonhowyoursymptomsrelatetoanothercondition. Thefollowingsymptomsanddifferentialdiagnosesareexamplesofwhatyourhealthcareprovidermightconsiderbeforemakingafinaldiagnosis.Contactyourhealthcareproviderifyouexperiencesymptomstodiagnoseandtreatyourcondition. Abdominalpain Symptomsofabdominalpainincludeanache,crampsorsharppainsatmildtoseverelevelslocalizedtoaspecificareainyourstomachregion.Adifferentialdiagnosisofabdominalpainincludes: Appendicitis. Gastritis. Inflammatoryboweldisease. Intestinalorbowelblockage. Pancreatitis. Asthma Symptomsofasthmaincludeshortnessofbreath,wheezing,painoratightfeelinginyourchestandcoughing.Adifferentialdiagnosisofasthmaincludes: Allergicrhinitis. Bronchitis. Chronicobstructivepulmonarydisease(COPD). Pneumonia. Backpain Symptomsofbackpainincludeaching,burningorsharp,stabbingpainthatincreaseswhenstanding,walking,liftingobjectsortwisting.Adifferentialdiagnosisofbackpainincludes: Arthritis. Diskhernia. Fibromyalgia. Osteoporosis. Chestpain Symptomsofchestpainincludeaching,sharppain,burningsensations,tightnessorsqueezingpressurelocalizedinyourchestarea.Adifferentialdiagnosisofchestpainincludes: Angina. Anxiety. Musclestrain. Pneumonia. Viralinfection. Cough Symptomsofacoughincludeclearingyourthroatofmucusorfluidsandclearingyourthroatofdryair,irritationortickleinthebackofyourthroat.Adifferentialdiagnosisofcoughincludes: Asthma. Bronchitis. Pneumonia. Reflux. Seasonalallergies. Depression Symptomsofdepressionincludefatigue,lowenergy,anxiety,showingarangeofemotionsandappetitechanges.Adifferentialdiagnosisofdepressionincludes: Anxiety. Bipolardisorder. Dementia. Hypothyroidism. Elevatedalkalinephosphatase Symptomsofelevatedalkalinephosphataseincludestomachorabdominalpain,nauseaandvomitingandayellowcolortotheskin(jaundice).Adifferentialdiagnosisofelevatedalkalinephosphataseincludesbutisnotlimitedto: Blockageintheliver,gallbladderorbileducts. Gallstones. Liverdisease. Fatigue Symptomsoffatigueincludefeelingtired,lackofenergy,notgettingenoughsleepandfeelingweakthroughoutyourentirebody.Adifferentialdiagnosisoffatigueincludesbutisnotlimitedto: Anemia. Depression. Insomnia. Thyroiddisease. Headache Symptomsofaheadacheincludeheadpainthatrangesinseverityfrommildtosevere,athrobbingsensationandsensitivitytolightsandsoundswithsymptomsthatlastforhoursoruptoseveraldays.Adifferentialdiagnosisofaheadacheincludes: Hypertension Symptomsofhypertensionincludechestpain,headaches,dizziness,shortnessofbreathandfeelingtired.Adifferentialdiagnosisofhypertensionincludes: Kidneydisease. Sleepapnea. Thyroiddisease. Kneepain Symptomsofkneepainincludeswellingaroundtheknee,instabilitywhenstanding,stiffnessandpoppingnoiseswhenyoumoveyourknee.Adifferentialdiagnosisofkneepainincludes: Arthritis. Cartilagetear. Osteoarthritis. Strainedligaments. Tendonitis. Urinarytractinfection(UTI) Symptomsofaurinarytractinfectionincludefeelinglikeyouneedtopeeevenwhenyouhaveanemptybladder,feelingaburningsensationwhenyoupeeandurinatingoften.Adifferentialdiagnosisofaurinarytractinfectionincludes: Chlamydia. Gonorrhea. Interstitialcystitis. Vaginalyeastinfection. AnotefromClevelandClinic Adifferentialdiagnosisisahelpfulstepintheprocessthatyourhealthcareproviderusestomakeafinaldiagnosis.Itmayseemoverwhelmingtoseealistofpossibleconditionsthatmightaffectyou,butrememberthatyourdifferentialdiagnosisisnotthefinaldiagnosis.Yourhealthcareproviderwillrecommendadditionalteststoconfirmyourdiagnosisandoffertreatmenttoalleviateyoursymptoms. 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