Feel the Burn
Hand burns from thermal injuries are common chief complaints in the emergency department. Sometimes, 2nd- and 3rd-degree burns may need immediate interventions and warrant special attention. These injuries are painful, and often have associated complications such as permanent scarring, cosmetic issues, prolonged pain, and even infection. ED providers can assist with the primary complications related to blistering of the hand or extremity. Careful follow-up and a detailed discharge plan produce better outcomes and minimize overall complications. Full body/surface burns or circumferential burns should always be seen and eval...
Source: The Procedural Pause - February 28, 2014 Category: Emergency Medicine Tags: Blog Posts Source Type: blogs
A Quick Lesson on Medical Terminology with 1980’s Batman
Today, I’m digging back in the archive to 1994 to the Knightquest storyline in order to present a brief lesson about medical terminology.
With it’s quasi-Latin and quasi-Greek, medical terms can be confusing and don’t always mean what you expect. Case in point, Batman: Legends of the Dark Knight #59. In this comic, physician Shondra Kinsolving has been kidnapped by her evil step-brother so he can use her telepathic powers to kill from a great distance. Understandably, Shondra doesn’t want to be a part of this, so he brother injects her with a drug of his own invention:
For those of you who may...
Source: Polite Dissent - February 9, 2014 Category: Family Physicians Authors: Scott Source Type: blogs
My Donor May Not Have Been So Bad After All
No ice cream, or die: an unimaginable predicament and I wasn’t even given the choice. My bone marrow donor unknowingly transferred her milk allergy, which began affecting me six months after my transplant, leading to frightening episodes of hives, mouth swelling and chest tightening. I visited an allergist who administered a skin prick allergy test. Milk protein resulted in a 10-millimeter reaction, while just a 14-millimeter reaction would have indicated potential anaphylaxis. I had to give up milk products forever.I dealt by going through the classic stages of grief: denial (read: ER visits), anger, bargaining (read: b...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - January 28, 2014 Category: Cancer Tags: living habits Source Type: blogs
Poison dew drops
Last night I dreamed of airplanes. Again. Every night I dream of airplanes. Every night for the last seven nights, anyway. Big ones. Little ones. New ones. Old ones. But my dream planes aren’t soaring high and wild in blue skies like they were built to do. There’s always something wrong with them. They’re broken down. Out of fuel. Victims of weather. My dream planes are trapped, barred from their natural environment. In my dreams, they are prisoners of the ground. This morning as the fog of dreams lifted, I put it all together. My subconscious is processing the fact that I, too, am a prisoner.Oh, Lord, where to even ...
Source: LifeAfterDx--The Guardian Chronicles - January 5, 2014 Category: Diabetes Authors: Wil Source Type: blogs
Why do I Feel Bad About Taking the Meds I Need?
Sugar, Television, trashy novels… and medications? I can see why some of those might be considered guilty pleasures and why we might all try to deny ourselves too much of them. Why is it, though, that I sometimes feel like I’m doing something wrong by taking meds that I need when I need them?
I can understand trying to keep powerful drugs to a minimum so that one doesn’t become physically dependent. I respect how the price of some meds will have those struggling with finances avoiding when the might benefit. I can see that taking ‘too many’ different medications could cause unforeseen drug interactions. ...
Source: Life with MS - September 23, 2013 Category: Other Conditions Authors: Trevis Gleason Tags: MS multiple sclerosis Everyday Health Living with MS MS medications MS Sleep Source Type: blogs
Preventing and Treating Severe Mosquito Bites
Dr. Greene’s Answer:
Many kids (including my daughter Claire) develop large local reactions to mosquito bites – charmingly called Skeeter Syndrome. It’s a reaction to proteins in mosquitos saliva. There’s usually some reaction within hours of the bite, they progress over 8 to 12 hours or more, and have disappeared within 3 to 10 days. They can be quite dramatic, and occasionally even blister or bruise.
It’s rare to get any whole-body symptoms from this.
The most common age for it to start is somewhere between age 2 and age 4, and (good news!) once it develops, most kids only have this for several ...
Source: Conversations with Dr Greene - September 22, 2013 Category: Pediatricians Authors: Dr. Alan Greene Tags: Q&A Insect Bites & Stings Source Type: blogs
Benadryl, Oh Benadryl! Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me?
My father and mother went to the bank and signed the papers for another loan this morning. These funds will go towards more renovations on the river-house. Dad is currently completely rewiring the whole house at the moment. Charlie has been my father’s contractor organizing and initiating all this activity. Charlie takes great joy in remodeling houses and he is also very good at it as well. Mentally Able… I feel much, much better today. Dad and I both agree it is the Benadryl and that I just need to stay off it for awhile. I mentally felt miserable yesterday and don’t want to feel...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - September 17, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Trying to Stay Positive…
“How are you doing?” mom caringly asked me a moment ago on the phone. Mom got an earful tonight, “Mom, today has just been a completely shitty, crappy day,” I blurted out and replied bluntly. “Nothing has gone right today and I mentally feel like I am going to jump out of my skin.” “You and your father buy groceries tonight, don’t you?” mom asked me. “Don’t remind me,” I said. “I am not firing on all cylinders.” I hung up the phone -- left to stew in my own juices. I was trying to think of ways to get out of going tonight despite my ultra determined and not easily deterred father. I just w...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - September 16, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Trust
Most people you meet, you generally don't share lots of private information until you have gotten to know them. Your doctor is different. You go see a new doctor for whatever reason and then you start spilling your guts on the state of your gut and other body parts.If you think about it they are a stranger. I sometimes have to scrape doctors off the floor when I start telling them about my issues and allergies - they all love the fact that I am allergic to benadryl. I have had them start laughing too - with me, not at me.But it is all about trust. How much do you really trust a stranger?I think we believe doctors are ethic...
Source: Caroline's Breast Cancer Blog - August 28, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: doctors honest trust Source Type: blogs
Galavanting...
Helen came and gave mom a hot bath yesterday. Mom said it embarrassed her somewhat, but she couldn't have done it alone. Helen was just glad to help. Helen, mom, and I had peaches and cream before Helen left sitting out on the back porch. The peaches were fresh and delicious. The cream was sweet and thick."It ain't none of my business, baby," Helen said as she stood over the sink cutting up peaches earlier. "But your daddy shouldn't have left you momma like that and gone off galavanting with his cousins."I agreed with Helen wholeheartedly. He shouldn't have done what he did. It's water under the bridge now, though. Dad won...
Source: The 4th Avenue Blues - August 25, 2013 Category: Mental Illness Authors: Andrew Quixote Source Type: blogs
Don’t Drive Under the Influence of Benadryl
Driving under the influence of antihistamines like Benadryl can be deadly. Watch out for over the counter drugs that can make users drowsy. The warnings on seemingly harmless medications could save your life.Contributor: Tavia Fuller ArmstrongPublished: Aug 02, 2013 (Source: Most Recent Health Wellness - Associated Content)
Source: Most Recent Health Wellness - Associated Content - August 2, 2013 Category: Other Conditions Source Type: blogs
Funny Allergy Quotes, Jokes, Stories and a List of Crazy Reactions.
If you're looking for funny allergy quotes, jokes and stories you've come to the right place. I asked my readers from facebook to provide me with their experiences they've had regarding crazy allergy reactions and they did not let me down. They relayed dozens of incidents they've experienced through the years. Over the years I've discovered several funny allergies myself, including allergies to prednisone, diet products and the color red. Some patients have dozens of allergies. My experience is that most of these allergies are not allergies in the physiological sense. The te...
Source: The Happy Hospitalist - July 2, 2013 Category: Internists and Doctors of Medicine Authors: Tamer Mahrous Source Type: blogs
I Know Everything about Pope Francis
Weeks ago I visited PepperoniNip and La Mole in Florida for a brief vacation that included Baltimore Orioles spring training, fried gator tail and elderly people. My ageism diminished significantly after making friends with an 80-something at the ballpark. 89 is the new 75.
My return flight to Washington departed on-time at 4 p.m. A hailstorm in Atlanta, where my short layover would be, shut down Atlanta Airport and my plane diverted to tiny Savannah Airport. The captain kept us on the tarmac in hopes that we could be one of the first planes back out to Atlanta when the storm cleared.
Now infused with anti-ageism, I chat...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - July 1, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: travels Source Type: blogs
Dancing With Fear: A Day in My Life Without a Left Pelvic Bone
I walk like a penguin, I think, chuckling at my short stride. The pain in my hip is significant when I shift weight to my left leg. The pain ascends rapidly the further I step forward, so I shuffle. This sensation is not deep inside like the lightning strikes I felt when my tumor was growing long ago, but instead it shoots out towards my abductors.
I envision my pain as an iron plate, compacted by the burden of cancer, consuming the space formerly occupied by cancerous bone. This plate does not respect my orthopedic oncology surgeon's handiwork -- muscle stapled and taped to other muscle -- and is waiting to explode downw...
Source: I've Still Got Both My Nuts: A True Cancer Blog - July 1, 2013 Category: Cancer Tags: a day in my life fear and rage Source Type: blogs
The Last Doctor is Always the Smartest
Twice recently, I’ve been privy to patient complaints about emergency department “misdiagnoses” when patients have gone to follow up appointments with their physicians.
One case involved a young girl who had a rash. The rash was preceded by a low grade fever in the days prior, began on the chest and spread outward, and had the classic appearance of a viral exanthem. The girl’s parents weren’t happy with that diagnosis. They believed that the girl was suffering from an allergic reaction and that she needed antihistamines and steroids. The doctor explained that the rash was not an allergic-type ...
Source: WhiteCoat's Call Room - June 17, 2013 Category: Emergency Medicine Doctors Authors: WhiteCoat Tags: Patient Encounters Source Type: blogs
