Most Common Reasons For Seeing A Doctor Revealed In New Study

The Most Common Reason We Visit The Doctor

If you've ever sat in the doctor's office and wondered what, exactly, everyone else was there for, a new Mayo Clinic study might quench your curiosity.

Surprisingly, researchers found that the most common condition people visit their health care providers for isn't heart disease or diabetes -- it's skin disorders, like acne or dermatitis, which accounted for 42.7 percent of the doctor visits. The study is published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings.

The study included data from 14,000 people in Olmsted County, Minn., who were part of the Rochester Epidemiology Project and who visited a doctor or other health care provider sometime between Jan. 1, 2005 and Dec. 31, 2009.

They found that the top 10 most common reasons for seeing the doctor were:

1. Skin disorders, including cysts, acne and dermatitis.
2. Joint disorders, including osteoarthritis.
3. Back problems.
4. Cholesterol problems.
5. Upper respiratory conditions.
6. Anxiety, bipolar disorder and depression.
7. Chronic neurologic disorders.
8. High blood pressure.
9. Headaches and migraines.
10. Diabetes.

Surprised by these findings? Let us know in the comments!

Before You Go

Top 50 Health Books Chosen by Healthy Living Community

Popular in the Community

Close

HuffPost Shopping’s Best Finds

MORE IN LIFE