How to use a symptom diary... and when you need to

The most common reason people come to see me is because they're in pain. My job (and passion!) is to work out why you are in pain, treat that problem and give the right advice to prevent that problem from returning. Sometimes there can be something glaringly obvious that is making a problem worse, but sometimes it's not so easy to find a reason for a problem occurring or to work out why the problem isn't resolving fully. That's where a symptom diary comes in. It's a really simple way of getting a snapshot of your life and activities, then patterns can easily be spotted that may be the key to resolving a problem and preventing it from returning... for good.

Please note, for persistent or chronic pain, I always screen for conditions that need a medical management and I can refer you to your GP for investigations if necessary. The symptom diary can be helpful in identifying if this is needed and it can also be used to track your progress and any changes in long-term conditions that are already diagnosed, for example pain or fatigue in arthritis.

Getting started

So how do you start a symptom diary? It's important to use a way that works well for you. If you're always on the go and find it difficult recalling events and activities by the end of a long day, keeping a note on your phone as you go is probably the best way. If you prefer to write things by hand, using a notebook or a printed template works well.

What do you record?

The important things to record are:

• Date and time
• General activities/how long you spent doing them
• Symptoms

How to record

Obviously there are only so many hours in the day and you don't want to spend your whole time writing away, but the more details you can record, the better. To record the symptoms, using a scale of 0-10 is a great way to see how they change over time. So for pain, 0 means no pain at all and 10 means the worst pain you've ever experienced. You can then adapt this for other symptoms you may be experiencing, such as tiredness, pins and needles, numbness, migraine symptoms and so on.

Using technology

App stores have lots of free apps that can be used to track activity and symptoms, including ones for specific conditions. Take a look at the app store to see if one would work well for you.

Spotting patterns

It will usually take about a week before you can look back and spot any patterns to the symptoms. Sometimes the symptoms will get worse 24 hours after an activity, which is usually why they've not been linked before. When it's all written on paper, it's far easier to identify any triggers.

What next?

If you identify anything that needs treatment or exercise advice, visit your Osteopath and take your symptom diary with you. If you have any questions or need any help getting your diary started, please get in touch!


Call me on 07543 557746
Email zoeclarkosteopath@gmail.com
'Like' my Facebook page www.facebook.com/ZoeClarkOsteopathy
'Follow' me on Twitter @ZoeClarkOsteo
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Zoë Clark is a registered osteopath trained at the British College of Osteopathic Medicine in London. Practicing in Howe near Norwich (01508 558373) and Burston, near Diss (07543 557746) in Norfolk.