History Taking -- Diarrhoea.
Introduction: Good morning Mr. Smith I am Dr. Munagapati Senior House officer in the department of Medicine. I would like to have a little chat with you regarding you problem of passing loose motions, is that all right with you?
History of presenting complaint. When did it start?
p/h of similar episodes
How many times does you normally open his bowels?
frequency; tenesmus; painful
Colour of stool; any blood or slime, tarry(melaena);
stool: fully formed or not? Quantity?
difficulty in flushing the stool
abdominal pain: aggravating or relieving factors;
relation to foods like bread, cakes, oats etc.
any weight loss and fever?
diet and travel?
h/o any medication (laxatives/purgatives)?
h/o constipation before?
h/o smoking and alcohol
f/h of bowel problems?
h/o DM, IBD, bowel surgeries or any other illnesses?
Thank you, it is pleasure talking to you.
Refer: Diarrhoea and rectal bleeding.
D.D: Inflammatory bowel disease, Coeliac, Parasitic infestations like amoebiasis and tropical sprue, Malabsorption syndromes, Gastroenteritis, Carcinoma colon.