How to Make a Medical Diagnosis with a Handshake Why is shaking the patient’s hand a good diagnostic practice? The hands provide readily accessible information that may not be available through other history/examination, and they offer clues to a patient’s physical and mental health. A good introduction is vital in medicine. And you should begin all […]
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10 Top Tips for Medical History Taking In this article we will describe 10 Top Tips for good Medical History Taking. 10 Top Tips Engage with the patient. Good introduction with a handshake Set the scene Build rapport Let the patient talk Know your stuff Change direction if needed Repeat and summarise their answers Know […]
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10 Prescribing Tops Tips All doctors of all types (hospital and GP), and nurse prescribers, need to be good prescribers. Keep within the drugs you know (and know them very well). If outside, look them up in BNF. Ask a pharmacist if still not sure Take a long time on drug history (one of key […]
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10 Student Mental Health Problems – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor Here are 10 common student mental health problems, including their definitions, symptoms, when to worry, and when to see a doctor. 1. Stress and Anxiety What it is: Overwhelming feelings of worry or pressure that can impact daily life. Students […]
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10 Common Blood Problems – When to Worry, and When to See a Doctor A sickle cell disease (SCD; see below) ‘blood film’ is a peripheral blood smear examined under a microscope to diagnose and monitor sickle cell disease. Key findings include characteristic sickle cells, which are crescent or sickle-shaped red blood cells with pointed […]
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10 Common Nose Problems – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor Here are 10 common nose problems, along with their descriptions, symptoms, and guidance on when to worry and see a doctor: 1. Deviated Septum Description: A crooked or off-center partition between the nasal passages. Symptoms: Nasal congestion, difficulty breathing, loss of […]
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10 Common Hair Problems – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor Here are 10 common hair problems, along with their descriptions, symptoms, and guidance on when to worry and see a doctor: 1. Dandruff Description: A fungal infection causing flakes of dead skin on the scalp. Symptoms: White or yellowish flakes on […]
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10 Common Hearing Problems – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor Here are 10 common hearing problems, their symptoms; and when to worry, and when to see a doctor. 1. Age-Related Hearing Loss What it is: Gradual loss of hearing due to aging Symptoms: Difficulty hearing high-pitched sounds, trouble understanding speech in […]
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10 Common Mental Health Problems – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor Here are 10 common mental health problems, their symptoms; and when to worry, and when to see a doctor. 1. Depression What it is: Persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, and loss of interest in activities Symptoms: Sadness, loss of interest, […]
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10 Common Joint Problems – When to Worry and When to See a Doctor Here are 10 common joint problems, their symptoms; and when to worry, and when to see a doctor. 1. Osteoarthritis What it is: Age-related wear and tear (and inflammation) of joint Symptoms: Joint pain, stiffness, limited mobility, and swelling When to […]
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