Topic Overview
Medical history
Asking questions about your medical history is an important part of
diagnosing
. Your doctor may ask you
about:
- Your symptoms and when they occur. To help make
a diagnosis, your doctor may ask you to keep track of what and when you eat and
the type of symptoms you have.
- Recent illnesses, long-term
diseases, or surgeries involving your stomach or intestines.
- Your
family history of lactose intolerance.
- Your ethnic background. Most
people in the world become somewhat lactose-intolerant as adults. People who have a
northern European heritage usually are the exception.
If you think your baby may have lactose intolerance, you may be asked if he
or she:
- Has diarrhea often.
- Seems hungry
all the time.
- Has gained little or no weight.
- Seems
irritable.
Physical exam
The physical exam for lactose intolerance includes examining your
belly. You may also be asked to bring in a sample of your stool. The stool of a
person who has lactose intolerance is usually loose or watery. It also can be
foamy.