Acute Joint Pain/Swelling – History Guide History Guides Author – Dr Charlotte Smith Editor -Dr Emily Liu Last updated 10/09/2025 Table of Contents Introduction This guide is designed to help you take a safe, structured, and clinically relevant history when assessing a patient with acute joint pain or swelling. It focusses on gathering the key information …
Vision Loss – History Guide History Guides Author – Dr Emily Liu Editor -Dr Emily Liu Last updated 29/07/2025 Table of Contents Introduction When taking a history from a patient presenting with ophthalmic symptoms, it is important to ask about any vision loss. Vision loss can be either partial or complete. It can be caused by …
Colorectal anatomy Article Author – Daniel Arbide Editor – Daniel Arbide Last updated 10/05/2025 Table of Contents General Structure Anatomy of the colon. Author: https://www.cdc.gov/cancer/colorectal/basic_info/what-is-colorectal-cancer.htm. CC BY-SA 4.0. Wikimedia Commons. Approximately 1.5m long, the colon, or the large bowel, is the distal end of the GI tract running from the ileo-caecal junction to the anal …
Colorectal tumours Article Author – Daniel Arbide Editor – Daniel Arbide Last updated 09/05/2025 Table of Contents Introduction (1,2) Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently the 4th most common cancer in the UK, although globally it has the 3rd highest rate of new cancer diagnoses (9.6%), and the 2nd highest cancer mortality (9.3%). A combination …
Head Injury – History Guide History Guides Author – Dr Euan Strachan Editor -Dr Emily Liu Last updated 30/04/25 Table of Contents Introduction Head injury remains a common reason for presentations to the emergency department in the UK and, akin to trauma as a whole, represents a significant cause of death and morbidity in those aged …
Acute Pancreatitis Article Article Author – Dr Daniel Arbide Editor – Dr Daniel Arbide Last updated 09/04/2025 Table of Contents Introduction Acute pancreatitis involves inflammation of the pancreas, in conjunction with the inappropriate activation and release of digestive enzymes, notably trypsin, which can damage the pancreas and nearby tissues via autodigestion. Most commonly caused by …
Acute Mesenteric Ischaemia Article Article Author – Dr Daniel Arbide Editor -Dr Daniel Arbide Last updated 08/04/2025 Table of Contents Introduction Ischaemic bowel disease can be divided into acute mesenteric ischaemia, chronic mesenteric ischaemia, and colonic ischaemia. This article will predominantly focus on acute mesenteric ischaemia. Acute mesenteric ischaemia is a surgical emergency. It …
Newborn Examination (NIPE) Examination Guides Author – Dr Elizabeth Hatton Editor – Dr Kalyani Shinkar Last updated 16/02/25 Table of Contents Introduction The Newborn and Infant Physical Examination (NIPE) is a screening examination that aims to identify congenital anomalies relating to the heart, hips, eyes and testes. It is part of the national screening programme that is conducted on …
Non-blanching rash in children History Guides Author – Dr Charlotte Wilson Editor – Dr James Mackintosh Last updated 29/10/24 Table of Contents Introduction Non-blanching rashes in children can be a cause of worry and panic! This is understandable as sometimes this can be a sign of a serious underlying cause. Often people, and worried parents, associate …
Dizziness and Vertigo History History Guides Author – Dr James Mackintosh Editor – Dr James Mackintosh Last updated 30/08/2024 Table of Contents Introduction Dizziness and vertigo are common presenting complaints in general practice and the emergency department. Dizziness is a term often used to describe a variety of symptoms including vertigo, pre-syncope, unsteadiness and light-headedness. …