How often are patients too embarrassed to answer a question? How do you get around it?

Usually it’s only around sexual things - whether it’s an std, erection that won’t go down, etc. - you just have to be direct, there’s no easy way around it. If they truely are too embarrassed pressure won’t help. Others may not say anything to you but give the MD a totally different story.

Now if they are coming in for rectal pain and can’t sit down.. chances are there something stuck up there and best to go ask the md for a abd X-ray