Things you should never do before going to the doctor

(Meredith Cooper/ Health Digest) –– Let’s try a little experiment: Take a moment to think about how many different types of doctors exist in the U.S. And really think about this in terms of specialties and medical focuses. Do you have your number? Okay, now here’s the answer. According to the Association of Medical Colleges’ website, in the United States there are more than 135 specialties and subspecialties in the medical industry.

These range from pediatrics to geriatrics and can be as broad as general surgery to as specific as orthopaedic surgery of the spine. So it’s not surprising that different doctors may require you to take different types of tests and procedures.

However, sometimes patients forget there isn’t a blanketed approach for preparing for a doctor’s appointment or diagnostic test, regardless of what you’re having done. For some, you’ll have to fast. For others, you might only need to avoid certain foods. And in some cases, you may have to skip a regular part of your daily routine even if you’re just going for a general checkup. (…)