Differential diagnosis

Different health conditions often cause similar symptoms. For example, fatigue is a symptom that can be caused by anemia, depression, heart disease, thyroid disease, sleep disorders, and many other conditions. When symptoms could have more than one cause, your provider will follow a careful, step-by-step process to rule out conditions that share your symptoms and identify the most likely cause.

This process is called making a differential diagnosis. To make a diagnosis, your provider first creates a list of all the possible conditions that could explain your symptoms. This is your differential diagnosis list.

Your provider will base the list on your specific: Symptoms; Medical history; Family health history; Medicines and supplements; Lifestyle; Test results; A differential diagnosis list helps your provider decide which tests will help confirm or rule out some of the possible conditions. As test findings narrow down the list, the most likely condition will become clear. This is your final diagnosis.

The process of making a differential diagnosis may take time, but it helps make sure your provider doesn't miss a possible cause of your symptoms. That means your final diagnosis is more likely to be accurate, and you'll get the right treatment.