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Strep throat

Strep throat is a bacterial infection that can make your throat feel sore and scratchy. Strep throat accounts for only a small portion of sore throats.

If untreated, strep throat can cause complications, such as kidney inflammation or rheumatic fever. Rheumatic fever can lead to painful and inflamed joints, a specific type of rash, or heart valve damage.

Strep throat is most common in children, but it affects people of all ages. If you or your child has signs or symptoms of strep throat, see your doctor for prompt testing and treatment.

Symptoms

Signs and symptoms of strep throat can include:

=Throat pain that usually comes on quickly

=Painful swallowing

=Red and swollen tonsils, sometimes with white patches or streaks of pus

=Tiny red spots on the area at the back of the roof of the mouth (soft or hard palate)

=Swollen, tender lymph nodes in your neck

=Fever

=Headache

=Rash

=Nausea or vomiting, especially in younger children

=Body aches

It's possible for you or your child to have many of these signs and symptoms but not have strep throat. The cause of these signs and symptoms could be a viral infection or some other illness. That's why your doctor generally tests specifically for strep throat.

It's also possible for you to be exposed to a person who carries strep but shows no symptoms.

Diagnosis

Your doctor will conduct a physical exam, look for signs and symptoms of strep throat, and probably order one or more of the following tests:

-Rapid antigen test. Your doctor may perform a rapid antigen test on a swab sample from your throat. This test can detect strep bacteria in minutes by looking for substances (antigens) in the throat. If the test is negative but your doctor still suspects strep, he or she might do a throat culture.

-Molecular (polymerase chain reaction, or PCR) test. This test is also done using a swab sample from your throat.

-Throat culture. A sterile swab is rubbed over the back of the throat and tonsils to get a sample of the secretions. It's not painful, but it may cause gagging. The sample is then cultured in a laboratory for the presence of bacteria, but results can take as long as two days.

Treatment

Medications are available to cure strep throat, relieve its symptoms, and prevent its complications and spread.

Antibiotics

If your doctor diagnoses you or your child with strep throat, your doctor will likely prescribe an oral antibiotic. If taken within 48 hours of the onset of the illness, antibiotics reduce the duration and severity of symptoms, as well as the risk of complications and the likelihood that infection will spread to others.

With treatment, you or your child should start feeling better in a day or two. Call your doctor if there's no improvement after taking antibiotics for 48 hours.

Children taking an antibiotic who feel well and don't have a fever often can return to school or child care when they're no longer contagious — usually 24 hours after beginning treatment. But be sure to finish all the medicine. Stopping early can lead to recurrences and serious complications, such as rheumatic fever or kidney inflammation.

Symptom relievers

To relieve throat pain and reduce fever, try over-the-counter pain relievers, such as ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB, others) or acetaminophen (Tylenol, others).

Use caution when giving aspirin to children or teenagers. Though aspirin is approved for use in children older than age 3, children and teenagers recovering from chickenpox or flu-like symptoms should never take aspirin. This is because aspirin has been linked to Reye's syndrome, a rare but potentially life-threatening condition, in such children.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/strep-throat/symptoms-causes/syc-20350338

 

Gynecomastia surgery in Karpathos by Doctor Socrates

 Gynecomastia in men is the enlargement of male breasts, which can be treated surgically with gynecomastia surgery. The surgery usually involves liposuction to remove excess fat and, in some cases, excision of the mammary gland through a small incision. The surgery aims to restore a more masculine chest contour and improve the patient's self-confidence.

Bursitis

Bursitis (bur-SY-tis) is a painful condition that affects the small, fluid-filled sacs — called bursae (bur-SEE) — that cushion the bones, tendons and muscles near your joints. Bursitis occurs when bursae become inflamed.

The most common locations for bursitis are in the shoulder, elbow and hip. But you can also have bursitis by your knee, heel and the base of your big toe. Bursitis often occurs near joints that perform frequent repetitive motion.

Treatment typically involves resting the affected joint and protecting it from further trauma. In most cases, bursitis pain goes away within a few weeks with proper treatment, but recurrent flare-ups of bursitis are common.

Symptoms

If you have bursitis, the affected joint might:

•             Feel achy or stiff

•             Hurt more when you move it or press on it

•             Look swollen and red

 

When to see a doctor

Consult your doctor if you have:

•             Disabling joint pain

•             Sudden inability to move a joint

•             Excessive swelling, redness, bruising or a rash in the affected area

•             Sharp or shooting pain, especially when you exercise or exert yourself

•             A fever

 

Causes

The most common causes of bursitis are repetitive motions or positions that put pressure on the bursae around a joint. Examples include:

•             Throwing a baseball or lifting something over your head repeatedly

•             Leaning on your elbows for long periods

•             Extensive kneeling for tasks such as laying carpet or scrubbing floors

Other causes include injury or trauma to the affected area, inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and infection.

 

Risk factors

Anyone can develop bursitis, but certain factors can increase your risk:

•             Age. Bursitis becomes more common with aging.

•             Occupations or hobbies. If your work or hobby requires repetitive motion or pressure on particular bursae, your risk of developing bursitis increases. Examples include carpet laying, tile setting, gardening, painting and playing a musical instrument.

•             Other medical conditions. Certain systemic diseases and conditions — such as rheumatoid arthritis, gout and diabetes — increase your risk of developing bursitis. Being overweight can increase your risk of developing hip and knee bursitis.

 

Prevention

While not all types of bursitis can be prevented, you can reduce your risk and the severity of flare-ups by changing the way you do certain tasks. Examples include:

•             Using kneeling pads. Use some type of padding to reduce the pressure on your knees if your job or hobby requires a lot of kneeling.

•             Lifting properly. Bend your knees when you lift. Failing to do so puts extra stress on the bursae in your hips.

•             Wheeling heavy loads. Carrying heavy loads puts stress on the bursae in your shoulders. Use a dolly or a wheeled cart instead.

•             Taking frequent breaks. Alternate repetitive tasks with rest or other activities.

•             Maintaining a healthy weight. Being overweight places more stress on your joints.

•             Exercising. Strengthening your muscles can help protect your affected joint.

•             Warming up and stretching before strenuous activities to protect your joints from injury.

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/bursitis/symptoms-causes/syc-20353242

Fracture diagnosis with ultrasound examination

 

Many years ago, around 1996, when I was still a resident (now I am a General Surgeon) I remember that when I had nothing to do on my shift, I would "experiment" with various things regarding the diagnosis of patients. What I liked was when the idea came to me to see fractures on ultrasound. The best examination for fractures is always an X-ray. However, I took it further. I could see from the X-ray where the fracture was and then I would go with the ultrasound and see the area of ​​the fracture, until I learned to diagnose fractures with ultrasound. Today, completely by chance and with great joy, I learned that many doctors now diagnose fractures with ultrasound, especially when for some reason an X-ray is not possible. In the video of the post, a colleague explains what a fracture looks like on an ultrasound scan.

I feel proud...