This is a short but important phase of the consultation which only Neighbour (1987) has separated out. The doctor summarizes in the patient’s language what has been heard. This gives the patient an opportunity to check that the doctor has fully understood the problem and has taken into account her ideas, concerns, expectations and feelings. [...]

Suddenly the memory of the ‘fifth partner in six years’ flashed into the doctor’s mind. Tentatively she continued, ‘I noticed in your records that you have changed partners several times. Do you find it difficult to let them into how you are feeling as well?’ The girl muttered again and the doctor just caught, ‘One [...]

Mrs R. presented complaining that she felt slightly sick when taking her Pills, which she had been on for several years with no problems. She thought that now she was 40 she and her husband would use sheaths. The doctor agreed with what she wanted to do, saying the sheath was a good method, but [...]

For some patients, the importance of following their religious precepts is strong enough to allow them to ask for concessions directly. Hamida Kamali had an IUCD fitted nine months ago. She had no problems with it but wished for it to be removed during Ramadan. When the period of fasting (and sexual abstinence) was over, [...]

The doctor working with people with mental handicap may need to develop entirely new techniques. Interpretive therapy is more difficult. There is a need to be very clear and simple in the conversation. It may be that the doctor is in the role of sex educator (Fraser, 1991), and needs to explore what is really [...]

Description and Possible Medical Problems If your scalp is itchy and frequent shampooing has no effect, you may have either head lice or dermatitis, an inammation of the scalp that may or may not be accompanied by flaky dandruff. Though it’s commonly believed that only children get head lice, adults can get them, too, though [...]

Description and Possible Medical Problems The last time you spent the night away from home and without the pillow it’s taken you years to mold just right, you may have woken up with a stiff neck and maybe even a headache. The stiffness may have subsided as the day proceeded, but you were bound to [...]

Depression is a serious disorder; however, the vast majority of people who seek help for it are treated successfully. If you have been depressed, it’s a good idea to contact your family physician. His first task will be to eliminate any underlying disease that might be causing your depression by taking your medical history, doing [...]

In time, the Medicare system and private insurance companies began to feel the financial pinch of the multitude of tests and procedures that were ordered by all the specialists. Not only did the sheer numbers of tests that were performed raise insurance premiums across the board, the insurance companies also began to ask to have [...]

Many of my patients tell me that they don’t know when they need to call me and when to deal with a health problem themselves. Sometimes they wait until it passes and they feel better; at other times they call me like this patient did, their voices filled with anxiety and confusion. They also want [...]