Dizziness
Dizziness cannot happen without giddiness, as the ICD-10 code R42 stands for "dizziness and giddiness." If a patient presents with dizziness, be sure your line of questioning is appropriate.
How to Talk to a Patient with Dizziness
DOCTOR: What seems to be the trouble?
PATIENT: I'm feeling dizzy.
DOCTOR: And giddy?
PATIENT: Come again?
DOCTOR: Are you also feeling giddy?
PATIENT: I'm afraid I don't understand.
DOCTOR: You know, dizzy and giddy?
PATIENT: Must the two go together?
DOCTOR: Most certainly. One cannot have dizziness without giddiness; R42 dictates it so. It's like bread without butter, washing without drying, or gonorrhea without chlamydia.
PATIENT: I see.
DOCTOR: Besides, you know the old saying, "Not far behind dizziness one finds giddiness."
PATIENT: Such an odd saying. Is it even real? Who said it?
DOCTOR: Shakespeare. But alas, let me rephrase. Other than this dizziness of which you speak, are you also in a state of excitable frivolity?
PATIENT: I'd like a new doctor, please.
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