Exams and Tests

Your doctor needs to take a careful history and perform a physical exam in order to find any medical problems leading to your symptoms. The doctor looks for an underlying stress or psychological disorder that could be the source of your stress symptoms.

• Many times, a careful interview can be the best source of information about the cause of your symptoms. It is extremely important that you are completely honest and tell your doctor everything that you are feeling physically and emotionally and describe any situations that you think might be causing your problems or making them worse.

• The doctor then performs a physical exam that is focused on the symptoms you have described.

• Lab tests or other diagnostic tests such as an ECG (a heart tracing) may be needed to completely rule out an underlying physical cause for your symptoms.

• If these tests and your doctor's exam findings are normal, the doctor may consult other specialists for further evaluation and treatment of your condition.

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Stress - Physical Symptoms

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Symptoms of stress can vary greatly from patient to patient. What were your physical symptoms?

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