A young lady came for consultation in the Surgical Out-Patient Department (OPD). She gave history of abdominal pain in the upper part of abdomen, which was not improving despite taking treatment in Jaipur and in Kota. She was highly worried as no doctor had been able to give a satisfactory answer to reason for her problem.
A young lady came for consultation in the Surgical Out-Patient Department (OPD). She gave a history of abdominal pain in the upper part of the abdomen, which was not improving despite taking treatment in Jaipur and in Kota. She was highly worried as no doctor had been able to give a satisfactory answer to the reason for her problem.
Dr. Dev (Fictional Name), who was sitting in the OPD, examined the patient and went through her old treatment prescription slips.
After contemplating for some time, he asked her, “What are you doing in Jaipur?” The young lady replied, “I am a student of Architecture in a college in Jaipur and live there in the hostel”.
Dr. Dev next asked, “Was there a party in your college the day before your pain started?” “Yes”, replied the lady after thinking for some time.
“Well”, replied Dr. Dev, “your pain is related to the Alcohol you consumed at the party.” “It appears you have a mild case of pancreatitis induced by the Alcohol. We will do some tests to confirm this, but as it is a mild case you should get well soon.”
For Non-Medicos: Pancreas is a deep-seated gland in the upper part of the abdomen, which secretes many hormones including Insulin and other digestive enzymes. Pancreatitis is an inflammatory process of the pancreas usually due to gallstones or alcohol intake. In its severe form it can even cause death of the patient.
The young lady exclaimed, “Thank God! I did not bring my mother along to the OPD.”
After the lady had gone, the senior resident looking impressed asked, “How did you guess that her problem was related to alcohol intake and how did you had the guts to ask her that she had taken alcohol?”
Please note: In India, consumption of alcohol by females is still not socially accepted widely.
“If you forget that she was female,” replied Dr. Dev, “then there is history of young person living in hostel away from family, in a creative field, in a urban progressive centre, whose pain started after a party, who has been adequately treated for gastritis and acid-peptic ulcer disease then you will think of alcohol-induced pancreatitis. Don’t let just one factor, the gender, blind you to the other factors pointing towards the diagnosis.”
Tip: If you have excluded the common diagnosis, the uncommon should be considered.
Tip: Don’t let the gender of the patient stop you from considering all probable diagnosis.
Tip: History of the patient is best taken in privacy even from relatives, otherwise they may be shy and hide part of their history which they think may not be acceptable to their family.
Tip for patients: It is better to have a consultation with doctor in private as you do not know what questions the doctor can ask in relation to your illness.
— ND
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DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purpose. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use of the information herein is at you one's own risk. Before trying to emulate or follow anything the reader is well advised to take into account ethical, moral, legal and other considerations. The author recommends that Medical Practice should be of the highest ethical and moral level keeping in mind the interest of the patient as foremost.
DISCLAIMER: This article is intended only for fun purpose. The author does not promote or recommend any behavior illustrated here or claim it to be useful. Use of the information herein is at you one's own risk. Before trying to emulate or follow anything the reader is well advised to take into account ethical, moral, legal and other considerations. The author recommends that Medical Education should be of the highest ethical and moral level keeping in mind the interest of the patient as foremost and according to MCI and other Board’s norm.
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