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What's Causing my Abdominal Pain?

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Editor’s Note: For 16 years, I've published weekly essays here on Blogspot, which will continue. I’ve now begun publishing my work on a new blogging platform, Substack, and I hope you’ll join me there. Please enter your email address  at this link  to receive my posts directly to your inbox. I see many patients referred to me after an emergency room (ER) visit for abdominal pain. ER medical professionals are generally very thorough in evaluating these patients.   These doctors see more patients with acute abdominal pain than gastroenterologists do, since patients with severe stomach pain often proceed to the ER as they are ill and understandably seek urgent attention.    In contrast, gastroenterology specialists see more chronic abdominal pain than do other medical specialists.   Many of t hese patients have had stomach distress for years and we gastroenterologists do our best to help them manage with their condition. Many patients who are evaluated in ...
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Should my Gallbladder be Removed?

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Editor’s Note: For 16 years, I've published weekly essays here on Blogspot, which will continue. I’ve now begun publishing my work on a new blogging platform, Substack, and I hope you’ll join me there. Please enter your email address  at this link  to receive my posts directly to your inbox. Why is the medical history – the patient’s narrative – so critical?  I have opined in this blog repeatedly that the medical history is paramount, much more valuable than the physical examination or the laboratory and other data.  Of course, there are instances when a finding on the exam or abnormal data cracks the case, but in general, the patient’s own story is most significant most of the time. Indeed, medical professionals, if we are not being careful, can permit abnormal data results to lead us to a trap door which will take us far away from where we should be.   Consider this to be a medical ‘wag the dog’ phenomenon.   Our focus should be squarely on the patient ...
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My Approach to Second Opinions

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Editor’s Note: For 16 years, I've published weekly essays here on Blogspot, which will continue. I’ve now begun publishing my work on a new blogging platform, Substack, and I hope you’ll join me there. Please enter your email address  at this link  to receive my posts directly to your inbox. I have numerous posts within this blog cautioning against pursuing second medical opinions.  This can be a tough argument to make as most patients  believe that obtaining additional medical advice is all upside. What could go wrong?  They argue that a second opinion either confirms the existing medical advice or provides new & improved recommendations.  It's not that simple. If readers enter second opinion in the search function of this blog, you will find several posts that point out potential pitfalls of seeking medical advice from new doctors.  It's not all upside. How do I regard my role when offering a second opinion? I generally regard my second opin...
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Tolerating Uncertainty in Medicine

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Editor’s Note: For 16 years, I've published weekly essays here on Blogspot, which will continue. I’ve now begun publishing my work on a new blogging platform, Substack, and I hope you’ll join me there. Please enter your email address  at this link  to receive my posts directly to your inbox. Patients regularly initiate inquiries starting with, ‘ could it be …’   This usually follows my opinion on their symptoms and the available diagnostic or therapeutic options.  Patients have often conducted their own research, generally on the internet, or have received diagnostic advice from folks they know who have suffered similar symptoms.  It’s perfectly natural, for example, if a patient’s roommate had his gallbladder removed for the same stomach issues, that the patient may believe that his gallbladder needs to be donated to science also.  (Note to reader:  just because the roommate underwent gallbladder removal doesn’t necessarily mean that this was the...
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Does Your Doctor's Age Matter?

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Editor’s Note: For 16 years, I've published weekly essays here on Blogspot, which will continue. I’ve now begun publishing my work on a new blogging platform, Substack, and I hope you’ll join me there. Please enter your email address  at this link  to receive my posts directly to your inbox. In our office, sometimes our secretaries listen to background music.  A few days before writing this, while walking through the office, I heard an iconic song, written and performed by a songwriting legend.  Even someone like me, who was never deep into the music scene, automatically recognized the song.  I asked our receptionist, a young lady in her 20’s, if she knew the song that was playing.  She didn’t.  I identified the song for her and asked if she knew it.  She didn’t.  I named the singer and asked if she knew him.  She didn’t.   In order to maintain a high level of suspense, I will unmask the song and the artist for readers at the ...
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The Value of the Past Medical History

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Editor’s Note: For 16 years, I've published weekly essays here on Blogspot, which will continue. I’ve now begun publishing my work on a new blogging platform, Substack, and I hope you’ll join me there. Please enter your email address  at this link  to receive my posts directly to your inbox. Some time ago, a young man came to see me in the office accompanied by his mother.  I cannot recall a single detail of what led him to see me.  But I remember very clearly a medical intervention that he had as an infant that bore no relevance to the forgotten reason for his visit.  One of the tasks that physicians perform on patients we see is to review the past medical history (PMH).   We do this to assemble a medical portrait of the individual who is before us.   Oftentimes, the historical medical events are not directly relevant to the issues at hand.   But often they are.   For example, if a patient has been experiencing chest discomfort, and the PM...
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Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Physicians and the Rest of Us?

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Editor’s Note: For 16 years, I've published weekly essays here on Blogspot, which will continue. I’ve now begun publishing my work on a new blogging platform, Substack, and I hope you’ll join me there. Please enter your email address  at this link  to receive my posts directly to your inbox. I have written about labor unions on the blog from time to time.  I have lambasted the teachers unions , for example, for their self-serving positions during the Covid-19 pandemics.   On the other hand, I have supported hospital nurses organizing as the power imbalance between them and their employers has stifled needed reform.  And I have mused about employed physicians who are threatened with burnout and endless burdens seeking union protections. Earlier on the day that I penned this post, I read of a labor agreement between a dockworkers union and its employer.   Fortunately, a strike was avoided.   The agreement has yet to be formally ratified.   ...
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