Differential Diagnosis Explained, Plus Examples - Healthline

A differential diagnosis is a list of possible conditions or diseases that could be causing your symptoms. It's based off of the facts obtained from your ... HealthConditionsFeaturedBreastCancerIBDMigraineMultipleSclerosis(MS)RheumatoidArthritisType2DiabetesSponsoredTopicsArticlesAcidRefluxADHDAllergiesAlzheimer's&DementiaBipolarDisorderCancerCrohn'sDiseaseChronicPainCold&FluCOPDDepressionFibromyalgiaHeartDiseaseHighCholesterolHIVHypertensionIPFOsteoarthritisPsoriasisSkinDisordersandCareSTDsDiscoverWellnessTopicsNutritionFitnessSkinCareSexualHealthWomen'sHealthMentalHealthSleepOriginalSeriesFreshFoodFastDiagnosisDiariesYou’reNotAlonePresentTenseVideoSeriesYouthinFocusHealthyHarvestNoMoreSilenceFutureofHealthPlanHealthChallengesMindfulEatingSugarSavvyMoveYourBodyGutHealthMoodFoodsAlignYourSpineFindCarePrimaryCareMentalHealthOB-GYNDermatologistsNeurologistsCardiologistsOrthopedistsLifestyleQuizzesWeightManagementAmIDepressed?AQuizforTeensAreYouaWorkaholic?HowWellDoYouSleep?Tools&ResourcesHealthNewsFindaDietFindHealthySnacksDrugsA-ZHealthA-ZConnectFindYourBezzyCommunityBreastCancerInflammatoryBowelDiseasePsoriaticArthritisMigraineMultipleSclerosisPsoriasisFollowusonsocialmediaShopProductsbyConditionInsomniaStressReliefBackPainNeckPainSleepApneaHotSleepersAllergiesPainReliefProductReviewsVitamins&SupplementsSleepMentalHealthNutritionAt-HomeTestingCBDMen’sHealthWomen’sHealthHealthConditionsDiscoverPlanConnectShopSubscribeWhatIsaDifferentialDiagnosis?MedicallyreviewedbyDanielMurrell,M.D.—ByJillSeladi-Schulman,Ph.D.—UpdatedonMay11,2018StepsExamplesTakeawayDefinitionWhenyouseekattentionforamedicalconcern,yourdoctorusesthediagnosticprocesstodeterminetheconditionthatmaybecausingyoursymptoms.Aspartofthisprocess,they’llreviewitemssuchas:yourcurrentsymptomsmedicalhistoryresultsfromaphysicalexaminationAdifferentialdiagnosisisalistofpossibleconditionsordiseasesthatcouldbecausingyoursymptomsbasedoffofthisinformation.StepsinvolvedinadifferentialdiagnosisWhenperformingadifferentialdiagnosis,yourdoctorwillfirstcollectsomeinitialinformationregardingyoursymptomsandmedicalhistory.Someexamplequestionsyourdoctormayaskinclude:What’reyoursymptoms?Howlongyouhavebeenexperiencingthesesymptoms?Isthereanythingthattriggersyoursymptoms?Isthereanythingthatmakesyoursymptomsworseorbetter?Doyouhaveafamilyhistoryofspecificsymptoms,conditions,ordiseases?Areyoucurrentlytakinganyprescriptionmedications?Doyouusetobaccooralcohol?Ifso,howfrequently?Havetherebeenanymajoreventsorstressorsinyourliferecently?Yourdoctormaythenperformsomebasicphysicalorlaboratoryexaminations.Someexamplesinclude,butarenotlimitedto:takingyourbloodpressuremonitoringyourheartratelisteningtoyourlungsasyoubreatheexaminingthepartofyourbodythat’sbotheringyouorderingbasiclaboratorybloodorurinetestsWhenthey’vegatheredtherelevantfactsfromyoursymptoms,medicalhistory,andphysicalexamination,yourdoctorwillmakealistofthemostlikelyconditionsordiseasesthatmaybecausingyoursymptoms.Thisisthedifferentialdiagnosis.Yourdoctormaythenperformadditionaltestsorassessmentstoruleoutspecificconditionsordiseasesandreachafinaldiagnosis.ExamplesofdifferentialdiagnosesHerearesomesimplifiedexamplesofwhatadifferentialdiagnosismaylooklikeforsomecommonconditions.ChestpainJohnvisitshisdoctorcomplainingofpaininhischest.Sinceaheartattackisacommoncauseofchestpain,hisdoctor’sfirstpriorityistomakesurethatJohnisnotexperiencingone.Othercommoncausesofchestpainincludepaininthechestwall,gastroesophagealrefluxdisease(GERD),andpericarditis.ThedoctorperformsanelectrocardiogramtoevaluatetheelectricalimpulsesofJohn’sheart.Theyalsoorderbloodteststocheckforcertainenzymesthat’reassociatedwithaheartattack.Theresultsfromtheseassessmentsarenormal.Johntellshisdoctorthathispainfeelslikeaburningsensation.Ittypicallycomesshortlyafterhavingameal.Inadditiontohischestpain,hesometimeshasasourtasteinhismouth.Fromthedescriptionofhissymptomsaswellasthenormaltestresults,John’sdoctorsuspectsthatJohnmayhaveGERD.ThedoctorprescribesJohnacourseofprotonpumpinhibitorsthateventuallyrelieveshissymptoms.HeadacheSuegoestoseeherdoctorbecauseshe’shavingapersistentheadache.Inadditiontoperformingabasicphysicalexamination,Sue’sdoctorasksabouthersymptoms.Suesharesthatthepainfromherheadachesismoderatetosevere.Shesometimesfeelsnauseaandsensitivitytolightwhilethey’reoccurring.Fromtheinformationprovided,Sue’sdoctorsuspectsthatthemostlikelyconditionscouldbemigraines,tensionheadaches,orpossiblyapost-traumaticheadache.Thedoctorasksafollow-upquestion:Haveyouexperiencedanysortofheadinjuryrecently?Suerespondsthatyes,shehadfallenandhitherheadalittleoveraweekago.Withthisnewinformation,Sue’sdoctornowsuspectsapost-traumaticheadache.Thedoctormayprescribepaininhibitorsoranti-inflammatorymedicationsforhercondition.Inaddition,thedoctormayperformimagingtestssuchasanMRIorCTscantoruleoutbleedinginthebrainoratumor.PneumoniaAlivisitshisdoctorwithsymptomsofpneumonia:fever,cough,chills,andpainsinhischest.Ali’sdoctorperformsaphysicalexam,includinglisteningtohislungswithastethoscope.TheyperformachestX-raytoviewhislungsandconfirmpneumonia.Pneumoniahasdifferentcauses—particularlyifit’sbacterialorviral.Thiscanaffecttreatment.Ali’sdoctortakesamucussampletotestforthepresenceofbacteria.Itcomesbackpositive,sothedoctorprescribesacourseofantibioticstotreattheinfection.HypertensionRaquelisatherdoctor’sofficeforaroutinephysical.Whenherdoctortakesherbloodpressure,thereadingishigh.Commoncausesofhypertensionincludecertainmedications,kidneydisease,obstructivesleepapnea,andthyroidproblems.Highbloodpressuredoesn’truninRaquel’sfamily,althoughhermotherhadthyroidproblems.Raqueldoesn’tusetobaccoproductsandusesalcoholresponsibly.Additionally,she’snotcurrentlytakinganymedicationsthatcouldleadtohighbloodpressure.Raquel’sdoctorthenasksifshe’snoticedanythingelsethatseemsoutoftheordinarywithherhealthlately.Sherepliesthatshefeelsasifshe’sbeenlosingweightandthatsheoftenfeelshotorsweaty.Thedoctorperformslaboratoryteststoassesskidneyandthyroidfunction.Thekidneytestresultsarenormal,butRaquel’sthyroidresultsindicatehyperthyroidism.Raquelandherdoctorbegintodiscusstreatmentoptionsforheroveractivethyroid.StrokeAfamilymembertakesClarencetoreceiveimmediatemedicalattentionbecausetheysuspecthe’shavingastroke.Clarence’ssymptomsincludeheadache,confusion,lossofcoordination,andimpairedvision.ThefamilymemberalsoletsthedoctorknowthatoneofClarence’sparentshadastrokeinthepastandthatClarencesmokescigarettesfrequently.Fromthesymptomsandhistoryprovided,thedoctorstronglysuspectsastroke,althoughlowbloodglucosecanalsocausesymptomssimilartoastroke.Theyperformanechocardiogramtocheckforanabnormalrhythmthatcouldleadtoclots,whichcouldtraveltothebrain.TheyalsoorderaCTscantocheckforbrainhemorrhagingortissuedeath.Lastly,theyperformbloodteststoseethespeedatwhichClarence’sbloodclotsandtoassesshisbloodglucoselevels.TheCTscanindicatesahemorrhageinthebrain,confirmingthatClarencehashadahemorrhagicstroke.Sinceastrokeisamedicalemergency,thedoctormaybeginemergencytreatmentbeforealltestresultsareobtained.ThetakeawayAdifferentialdiagnosisisalistofpossibleconditionsordiseasesthatcouldbecausingyoursymptoms.It’sbasedoffofthefactsobtainedfromyoursymptoms,medicalhistory,basiclaboratoryresults,andaphysicalexamination.Afterdevelopingadifferentialdiagnosis,yourdoctormaythenperformadditionalteststobegintoruleoutspecificconditionsordiseasesandcometoafinaldiagnosis.LastmedicallyreviewedonMay11,2018Howwevettedthisarticle:SourcesHealthlinehasstrictsourcingguidelinesandreliesonpeer-reviewedstudies,academicresearchinstitutions,andmedicalassociations.Weavoidusingtertiaryreferences.Youcanlearnmoreabouthowweensureourcontentisaccurateandcurrentbyreadingoureditorialpolicy.BaloghE,etal.(2015).Chapter2:Thediagnosticprocess.Improvingdiagnosisinhealthcare.nap.edu/read/21794/chapter/4ClinchCR.(2001).Evaluationofacuteheadachesinadults.aafp.org/afp/2001/0215/p685.htmlDiagnosingandtreatingpneumonia.(2018).lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pneumonia/diagnosing-and-treating.htmlEssentialhypertension:Differentialdiagnosis.(n.d.).online.epocrates.com/diseases/2635/Essential-hypertension/Differential-DiagnosisGoodmanCC,etal.(2006).AppendixB:Specialquestionstoask.Differentialdiagnosisforphysicaltherapists:Screeningforreferral.differentialdiagnosisforpt.com/appendix_B.phpHubbardJ.(2002).Thedifferentialdiagnosisofchestpain.nursingtimes.net/clinical-archive/cardiology/the-differential-diagnosis-of-chest-pain/205735.articleHypoglycemia(lowbloodglucose).(2015).diabetes.org/living-with-diabetes/treatment-and-care/blood-glucose-control/hypoglycemia-low-blood.htmlLlewelynH,etal.(2014).Chapter1:Thediagnosticprocess.Oxfordhandbookofclinicaldiagnosis.oxfordmedicine.com/view/10.1093/med/9780199679867.001.0001/med-9780199679867-chapter-1MayoClinicStaff.(2015).Hyperthyroidism(overactivethyroid).mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/hyperthyroidism/symptoms-causes/syc-20373659MayoClinicStaff.(2017).Migraine.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/migraine-headache/symptoms-causes/syc-20360201MayoClinicStaff.(2018).Gastroesophagealrefluxdisease(GERD).mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/gerd/symptoms-causes/syc-20361940MayoClinicStaff.(2018).Heartattack.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/heart-attack/symptoms-causes/syc-20373106MayoClinicStaff.(2018).Highbloodpressure(hypertension).mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/high-blood-pressure/symptoms-causes/syc-20373410MayoClinicStaff.(2018).Stroke.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/stroke/symptoms-causes/syc-20350113McConaghyJR,etal.(2013).Outpatientdiagnosisofacutechestpaininadults.aafp.org/afp/2013/0201/p177.htmlPost-traumaticheadache.(2016).americanmigrainefoundation.org/understanding-migraine/post-traumatic-headache/Pneumoniasymptoms,causes,andriskfactors.(2018).lung.org/lung-health-and-diseases/lung-disease-lookup/pneumonia/symptoms-causes-and-risk.htmlStroke–Howisastrokediagnosed?(n.d.).nhlbi.nih.gov/node/3849SharethisarticleMedicallyreviewedbyDanielMurrell,M.D.—ByJillSeladi-Schulman,Ph.D.—UpdatedonMay11,2018ReadthisnextHowLongDoesItTaketoGetBloodTestResults?MedicallyreviewedbyCynthiaCobb,DNP,APRN,WHNP-BC,FAANPIfyou’reawaitingresults,youmaybewondering,howlongdobloodteststake?Theshortansweristhatitdepends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