Myofascial pain is thought to be secondary to the tightening of fascia which reduces the fascia’s sliding ability and acts as a source of tension. This may be caused my acute micro-trauma or repeated injury (1). These areas of tightened fascia are known as trigger points, defined as “spots of exquisite tenderness and hyperirritability in … Continue reading Myofascial Pain: a pain for doctors and patients
Author: xenograft.blog
Efficient Communication: Why Doctors Don’t Call Each Other
Communication is the most important thing that doctors do. It is how medications are ordered, how patients are educated, and how procedures are performed. Doctors talk to patients, nurses, social workers, counselors, physical therapists, occupational therapists, and medical assistants constantly. Effective communication is the key to getting things done in the hospital. But how do … Continue reading Efficient Communication: Why Doctors Don’t Call Each Other
Five things I learned in medical school
June marks my second year in medical school. During the last 2 years, I've learned a lot about medicine and science. I've also learned a lot about how to survive in highly stressful environments. Medical school will test to an almost every way. The mental grind of learning what seems like a billion things every … Continue reading Five things I learned in medical school
Cognitive Bias and Medicine
In the hospital, doctors routinely diagnose and treat within minutes of meeting their patients. Out of the hundreds of thousands of diseases and medications that exist, clinicians are able to analyze and determine the correct illness and medication within minutes. It's like some doctors just know what's happening. This is possible due to years of … Continue reading Cognitive Bias and Medicine
Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome
I’ve been taking the antidepressant Lexapro (escitalopram) for over 3 years. I started taking the meds when repeated panic attacks and constant anxiety threatened a new relationship, and I've been on them ever since. Even though I was started on the lowest dosage possible it had a huge impact on me. These medicines did more … Continue reading Antidepressant discontinuation syndrome
Kidney disease algorithm
I made a kidney disease algorithm today and thought I would share it and the associated Anki deck. Please let me know if there are any errors, leave a comment and I'll fix it Anki file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1bQGCNsAldW8iORomMBg1wH5H2Iizz-Dm/view?usp=sharing No content on this site should ever be used as a substitute for direct medical advice from your … Continue reading Kidney disease algorithm
Locked in a room…
Imagine you are locked in a room with another person. You both have been there for as long as you can remember, and there is no way out of the room. Take a moment to think about this situation, and how you might feel. This is similar to the situation we find ourselves in every … Continue reading Locked in a room…
Three stories of how cancer became infectious
Earlier on this blog I talked about the first time I was in a hospital, and how I feared “catching” cancer from my grandpa. Of course this fear is ridiculous because cancer can’t be “caught” or transmitted like an infectious disease. But, what if it could? While at first glance infectious cancer sounds absolutely terrifying … Continue reading Three stories of how cancer became infectious
How one woman became immortal (a true story)
Everyone has dreamt of immortality, at least once. What would it be like to live forever? Would you travel? Learn new languages? Become wealthy? With modern advances in science and medicine, people are now living longer and healthier than ever. People are living longer, but not forever. Except one woman. Henrietta Lacks was born in … Continue reading How one woman became immortal (a true story)
How viruses are being used to treat disease
Viruses have been in the news a lot lately, almost always in a negative light. The COVID-19 pandemic has irrevocably changed our society in ways we are still discovering. While viruses can cause much pain and suffering, they have also been used to produce life-saving medications, and scientists have been using them for decades. Many … Continue reading How viruses are being used to treat disease