Patient Notes are handouts that physicians can give patients to help answer their questions. Each one describes a common medical problem, in language patients will appreciate, and typically includes clear, basic advice as well. Patient Notes appear in each issue of Postgraduate Medicine, a peer-reviewed clinical journal for primary care physicians. Collected here and categorized by topic are selected Notes from past issues. This information was up-to-date when originally published. However, some areas of medicine change rapidly, and some of the information may no longer be current.

If you are a physician and have an idea for a topic or would like to write a Patient Note for our consideration, please send us an e-mail.

Accidents and Injuries

• Canes and crutches
• Plantar fasciitis
• Playing it safe in winter
• Rotator cuff injuries
• Tips for a safe trip

Aging

• Alzheimer's disease
• Cataracts
• Coping with hearing loss
• Cosmetic antiaging treatments
• Alzheimer's disease
• Macular degeneration
• Options for preventing the flu

Allergy/Immune Disorders

• Itching

Bone, Joint, and Muscle Disorders

• Carpal tunnel syndrome
• Getting enough calcium
• Gout
• Heel Spur
• Knee replacement
• Nocturnal leg cramps
• Plantar fasciitis
• Preventing osteoporosis
• Rotator cuff injuries

Brain and Nerve Disorders

• Alzheimer's disease
• Bell's palsy
• Migraine
• Neuropathic pain
• Sciatica
• Shingles
• Tics and Tourette's syndrome
• Stroke

Cancer

• Breast self-examination
• Colorectal cancer
• Skin cancer
• Testicular self-examination
• Understanding lymphedema

Children's Health Issues

• Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
• Febrile seizures

Diabetes/Thyroid/Other Endocrine Disorders

• Hormone replacement therapy
• Hyperthyroidism
• Hypothyroidism
• Living with diabetes
• Traveling with diabetes

Digestive Disorders

• Hepatitis
• Colorectal cancer
• Constipation
• Diarrhea
• Food-borne illness
• Heartburn and GERD
• Irritable bowel syndrome
• Peptic ulcer disease
• Preventing food poisoning

Drugs

• Antibiotic resistance

Ear, Nose, and Throat Disorders

• Coping with hearing loss

Eye Disorders

• Cataracts
• Dry eye
• Glaucoma
• Macular degeneration

Heart and Blood Vessel Disorders

• Angina
• Chronic heart failure
• Deep Vein Thrombosis
• Following a low-salt diet
• High blood pressure
• Mitral valve prolapse
• Peripheral artery disease
• Spider and varicose veins
• Transient ischemic attacks
• Understanding cholesterol levels

HIV/AIDS

• Condoms and safe sex
• HIV and AIDS

Infections

• Hepatitis
• Avoiding giardiasis
• Chlamydia
• Food-borne illness
• Influenza
• Lyme disease
• Options for preventing the flu
• Recognizing pneumonia
• Shingles
• Tick-borne illness
• Tuberculosis
• Urinary tract infections
• Vaginal infection

Kidney and Urinary Tract Disorders

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Interstitial cystitis
• Urinary incontinence
• Urinary tract infections

Lung and Airway Disorders

• Asthma
• Influenza
• Options for preventing the flu
• Recognizing pneumonia
• Tuberculosis

Men's Health Issues

• Benign prostatic hyperplasia
• Chlamydia
• Testicular self-examination

Mental Health Disorders

• Bipolar disorder
• Panic disorder
• Depression
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder
• Posttraumatic stress disorder
• Suicide prevention

Miscellaneous

• Understanding body mass index
• Breaking the nicotine habit
• Canker sores
• Chronic fatigue syndrome
• Diagnostic imaging
• The exercise prescription
• Following a low-salt diet
• Hair loss
• Medical information on the Net
• Motion sickness
• Organ donation
• Quitting smoking
• Sleep deprivation
• Sun safety
• Tips for a safe trip
• Toward better sleep
• Weight Loss

Rehabilitation

• Canes and crutches

Skin Disorders

• Acne
• Canker sores
• Cosmetic antiaging treatments
• Frostbite
• Hair loss
• Itching
• Psoriasis
• Shingles
• Skin cancer
• Sunburn

Women's Health Issues

• Breast self-examination
• Chlamydia
• Fibrocystic breast disease
• Getting enough calcium
• Hormone replacement therapy
• Menopause and mood
• Premenstrual syndrome
• Preventing osteoporosis
• Spider and varicose veins
• Understanding lymphedema
• Vaginal infection

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