We live in an era of medicine in America in which patients want to be involved in their healthcare. This is very satisfying to physicians like me, who prefer to educate and engage patients rather than just telling them what to do. Granted, there are some instances when a patient does need to be told what to do (ex: "You have appendicitis. You need surgery.")However, when faced with a ...
Linda Pourmassina, MD
A good history is integral to practicing good medicine
Have you ever gone to the doctor’s office and forgotten what you were going to say or felt like you didn’t have the answers to any of the doc’s questions? Have you ever gone in to an appointment thinking, "I have pain and I am sure an MRI will show the cause," but your doctor seems to insist on asking you a million questions about your symptoms and doesn’t
Patients can lift doctors up during a challenging day
I will be leaving my current practice in a couple months and starting work at a different clinic in a different city. This type of transition really brings to light how much I had really gotten to know patients on a personal level. This became surprisingly clear not too long ago.One day, I saw a patient on my schedule that had historically required more of my emotional energy. We often ...
The Tdap vaccine and the rise in whooping cough
I recently went to the American College of Physicians Chapter Meeting in Seattle and came away with a lot of great information, including a significant change in immunization of adults against pertussis (whooping cough).When patients need a booster of tetanus immunization, we often give it in combination with a vaccine to protect against pertussis. As you may know, tetanus is a life-threatening infection by a bacteria that can cause severe ...
Energy drinks are unregulated and can be dangerous
With the darker days upon us, it may be tempting to try to fight fatigue with energy drinks.Ever wonder what’s really in them and what they might be doing to you? I just came across an article in the November issue of the Mayo Clinic Proceedings that broke it down nicely.Here’s the summary.Caffeine. No brainer. Interestingly, it is on the list of substances banned by the International Olympic Committee (which is ...
