Ear Pain: Diagnosing Common and Uncommon Causes

John Scott Earwood, Tyler Sherrod Rogers, Nicholas Alan Rathjen

Diagnosing ear pain requires distinguishing between primary and secondary otalgia. Pain originating within the ear (i.e., primary otalgia) is usually diagnosed with the history and physical examination. Common causes of primary otalgia include otitis externa or media,...

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Outpatient Insulin Management

Amanda Howard-Thompson, Muneeza Khan, Morgan Jones, Christa M. George

In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, insulin may be used to augment therapy with oral glycemic medications or as insulin replacement therapy. Insulin regimens should be adjusted every three or four days until self-monitoring of blood glucose targets are reached. Goals...

Pityriasis Rosea: Diagnosis and Treatment

Jose M. Villalon-Gomez

Pityriasis rosea is a common self-limiting rash that usually starts with a herald patch on the trunk and progresses along the Langer lines to a generalized rash over the trunk and limbs. The diagnosis is based on clinical and physical examination findings. Patients can...

AAFP News: AFP Edition

AAFP Renews Fight for Coverage of Preventive Health Services for Women | New Online Tool Lets Physicians View Status of CMS Quality Measures | Survey: Family Physicians Continue Move to New Payment Models | Free Physician Well-Being CME Videos

Immediate Postpartum LARC: An Underused Contraceptive Option

Moira K. Ray, Valerie King

Providing immediate postpartum LARC to women who want it is an evidence-based, patient-centered, and safe practice.

Effectiveness of Moisturizers in the Treatment of Patients with Eczema

Arianna Becker, Matthew Rensberry

Moisturizers decrease the rate of eczema flare-ups by 3.7 times vs. no treatment (number needed to treat [NNT] = 4), as well as the amount of topical corticosteroids used per eczema flare-up (9.3 g less). Adverse effects are minimal.

Dietary Interventions for Recurrent Abdominal Pain in Childhood

Juan Qiu

Probiotics relieve pain in children with recurrent abdominal pain in the short term (number needed to treat [NNT] = 8). There is no convincing evidence that fiber supplements improve pain in children with recurrent abdominal pain.

Young Febrile Infants: Step-by-Step Evaluation

Joshua Steinberg

A fever without an obvious source in an infant younger than three months is highly concerning. Although some infants have a potentially life-threatening invasive bacterial infection, such as meningitis, bacteremia, or sepsis, most have less serious conditions, such as a viral...

Burning on the Tip of the Tongue

Thomas M. Skinner, Casey V. Glew

A woman presented with lesions on her tongue, as well as bare patches with raised erythematous borders.

Female Genital Mutilation or Cutting

Ranit Mishori, Nicole Warren, Rebecca Reingold

FGM/C involves partial or total removal of the external genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for nonmedical reasons. It is considered a human rights violation. It has no known health benefits, but many reported harmful consequences.

Delayed Antibiotic Prescription for New-Onset Cough Associated with Decreased Reconsultation

Allen F. Shaughnessy

Delayed antibiotic treatment (that is, giving a prescription with a suggestion to fill it only if symptoms are still present after three days) was associated with decreased revisits by adults with new-onset cough deemed to be infective.

Long-term Use of Bisphosphonates Increases the Risk of Fractures in Older Women

Henry C. Barry

In this cohort study, older women at a high risk of fractures who used oral bisphosphonates for 10 to 13 years had a higher risk of fractures than women who used bisphosphonates for only two years.

Intensive Blood Pressure Control in Older Patients Can Decrease Renal Function

Allen F. Shaughnessy

In this post-hoc analysis of the previously published SPRINT trial, lowering the systolic blood pressure of patients who are at increased risk of cardiovascular events (average age = 66 years) will decrease their risk of cardiovascular disease but increase their likelihood of...

Oral Steroids Not Helpful for Acute Lower Respiratory Tract Infection in Nonasthmatic Adults

David Slawson

This study found no clinically significant benefit of steroids for the treatment of acute LRTI in adults without asthma, including those presenting with wheezing or shortness of breath.

Tuberculosis: Guidelines for Diagnosis from the ATS, IDSA, and CDC

Lisa Hauk

Persons with Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection may have no clinical evidence of disease and present asymptomatically, known as latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) or symptomatically, known as tuberculosis (TB). The American Thoracic Society (ATS), Infectious Diseases...

Stents for Stable Coronary Artery Disease

Andrew Apps, Aseem Malhotra

Most published trials fail to show a benefit from coronary stenting in patients with stable obstructive coronary artery disease. However, stent technology has evolved significantly in recent years, and it is possible that newer-generation drug-eluting stents may offer...

Discuss Oral Health with All Women of Child-Bearing Age

Medications to Treat Obesity Lack Patient-Oriented Evidence

Pityriasis Rosea

Pityriasis rosea (pit-ih-RYE-uh-sis ROW-zee-uh) is a scaly, reddish-pink skin rash that's common in children and young adults. If you get it, you might feel like you have a cold at first. Then a scaly red spot might appear on your back or stomach. Smaller spots will develop...