How to talk to... your doctor, by Dr Ayan Panja, GP and resident doctor on BBC World News

The key thing is that you know why you're there. Increasingly, people have more than one thing they want to mention at an appointment. Get the most important thing out at the beginning. Men are especially bad at this, as they're scared. But it really doesn't help if you get to the end of your 10 minutes, then say,"Oh, by the way, every time I mow the lawn, I get this pain in my chest that goes right up to my jaw - that's nothing to worry about, is it?" Actually, it could mean you've got angina. 

I find, increasingly, that there's a generational difference in how people speak to doctors. Younger people are more likely to say, "I just feel shit." Try to be descriptive. If you have a pain, is it dull or sharp? Does it burn or throb? If you have new symptoms, make sure you mention them. The timeline is really important: have you been getting pains for a few days, or weeks, or at certain times of day? Photos help, especially if symptoms have changed.

For doctors, half the game is trying to figure out, "Why is this person really here?" Do they want medication, or tests? Do they want to be signed off work? If you are secretly worried that you have a much more serious illness, then mention it (we know that everyone looks up their symptoms on the internet). Your doctor won't mind if you say,"I know I'm being stupid, but I'm worried this is a brain tumor." We'd rather discuss that than waste time wondering what it is you're not saying. Just be honest. The whole consultation is really about the connection between two individuals and , in an ideal world, it should be based on mutual respect and trust.

We line in convenience culture, but medicine doesn't work like that. People often say,"It would be great if I could just email my GP." But if you can't examine someone, you don't have an accurate picture. We can't always refer you immediately for the complicated tests you've seen on TV. And we can't always solve everything in a 10-minute appointment.

Tips 

Start with the thing you're most worried about. Don't make your doctor guess. 

Be as detailed and descriptive as you can when explaining your symptoms. 

Have an awareness that you're talking to a human. We try to leave the emotions of the last appointment behind us, but it's not always easy.