Here’s what you need to know about gathering your family’s medical history.
You might know a lot about your health, but how much do you really know about the health of your parents or grandparents? Knowing key parts of your family history when it comes to health can help doctors identify diseases you might be at risk for so they can start screening you at the right time. Doing so might just save your life. Here are the 10 steps you need to go through to put together your medical family history.
What You Know About Yourself
Write down your own health conditions and the age they were diagnosed. The more specific you can be, the better. Rather than just saying “allergies,” say what exactly you’re allergic to. Instead of saying, “heart condition,” write down the medical name. If you don’t know it, ask your doctor. Also note how bad the condition is. Having mild asthma that rarely bothers you can be very different from severe asthma.