Clinical

Some of the symptoms are relatively generic—fever, headache, fatigue—but that’s actually one of the risks for patients infected with Chagas disease, which can cause stroke and heart failure if it’s not caught and treated in time. If you have patients with those common complaints, look further to see if they have a rash or swelling without an explanation; if so, consider sending out a blood smear for analysis or referring them for testing immediately. Chagas …

Last week we told you about a serious uptick in cases of West Nile virus across the country. Now health officials from coast to coast are warning that cases of measles are on the rise. Twenty-one states have reported 118 cases, to date, this year—a pace that would result in the highest number of cases in 3 years if it continues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It may be beneficial to …

Mosquitoes just love wet weather. Unfortunately, that includes pests carrying the West Nile virus—leading to a surge in reported cases in 40 states. Whether it’s by helping to prevent its spread or being there to treat patients who may be affected, it’s a good time to prepare yourself. American Family Care opted for the former course of action by offering free prevention kits, aimed at helping residents in their surrounding communities avoid mosquito bites in …

The American Academy of Pediatrics has already decided that immunizing children with nasal spray just won’t cut it next flu season, again issuing a recommendation to use injectable flu vaccine instead. The AAP Board of Directors made the call after reviewing data on the effectiveness of this season’s flu shot compared with the nasal spray flu vaccine, which has not worked as well in recent years. It’s a slight break from the opinion of the …

As the summer winds down and families head out for one more adventure before the kids go back to school, campsites and rustic lakes are packed—not only with outdoor types, but hungry ticks. A recent post on Healthway.com gave consumers a ton of information on signs they may have been bitten by a tick or, worse, that they may have contracted a tick-borne disease. Surely other media outlets will be doing the same, perhaps compelling …

As pain clinics come under closer scrutiny amid efforts to stem the tide of opiate addiction across the country, patients who need (and those who are addicted to) prescription pain medications are looking for new avenues of securing drugs. In Tennessee, where two-thirds of pain clinics have been shut down, there’s concern that tens of thousands of patients will be knocking on the doors of community health resources to get new prescriptions—or, worse, turning to …

A viral stomach bug has people vomiting and complaining of diarrhea and fever in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri—and it’s spreading fast, according to health officials there. Symptoms are self-limiting and last approximately 1–3 days, but have been causing serious dehydration in some patients. Recommended supportive care includes rest, increased fluid intake, and acetaminophen. Because the virus is spread through person-to-person contact, patients should be advised to avoid hugging, shaking hands, and any touching unless necessary. …

The “pain scale” is a standard tool to help patients quantify their level of discomfort so you can administer the appropriate degree of pain relief. The problem is, it doesn’t necessarily work. Some patients may overstate their pain to game the system and get a prescription; with the opiate crisis still raging throughout the country, the consequence of this could literally by deadline. On the other extreme, stoic types may not want to admit they’re …