Headache
Tension headache
Tightness on both sides of the head
Stress-related
A trial of Tylenol or Ibuprofen
Migraine
Often affect just 1 side of the head, pounding or throbbing
Nausea, vomit, sensitive to light and sound
Recommend to lie down in a cool, dark, quiet room
Cluster
Male dominant, tearing
See a doctor immediately
1. "the worst headache of your life"
2. Fever with neck stiffness
3. Weakness, numbness, or trouble seeing
Doctors may ask:
duration, severity, quality of the headache, unilateral or bilateral, nausea/vomit, sensitive to light, etc
Dizziness
Vertigo
1. With the room spinning
2. If positional related, the patient could try maneuver supervised by a doctor
3. If associated with ear symptoms, check with an ENT doctor
4. If not able to point precisely to the target, check with a neurologist
Cardiogenic
1. If associated with low BP, check for black/bloody stool, get adequate hydration and re-check BP
2.
Others
others
Pink eye
Conjunctivitis
1. No vision loss
2. Can be virus, allergy or bacterial
3. Check with family doctor for differential
Cornea infection
1. Vision loss, pain, fear of light
2. Check with an eye doctor for treatment ASAP
Eyeball infection
1. Vision loss, pain, fear of light
2. Check with an eye doctor for treatment ASAP
3. May need to check immune disease
Foreign body
1. Adequate saline/Tap water irrigation
2. Check with an eye doctor for treatment ASAP
Nose bleeding
1. Lean forward, not back
2. Pinch the patient's nose for 5-10 min, below the bony bridge but not nostrils. Make sure you can still breathe while holding the nose.
3. Cold pack over the bridge of the nose can constrict the blood vessels
4. Don’t blow nose after successfully stop bleeding
Rhinitis
Non-allergic Rhinitis
- Nasal congestion (stuffiness), rhinorrhea, and postnasal drainage
- Onset at a later age
- Triggers including irritant odors and strong fragrances, air pollution or temperature changes
- Absence of nasal and ocular itching and prominent sneezing
- Treatment, an intranasal spray of antihistamine or steroid (Afrin, Flonase, etc) or pseudoephedrine. Daily nasal saline irrigation is a helpful adjunctive therapy
Allergic Rhinitis
- in development
Ear pain
Otitis Media (Eardrum infection)
1. Affect the hearing
2. Need to check if any perforation
3. Usually needs antibiotic
Otitis Externa (Ear Canal Infection)
1. Normal hearing but tender to touch
2. Mild: try ear drop of antibiotic
3. Severe: oral antibiotic
Hearing damage
Cerumen Impaction
1. A trial of Debrox at home
2. Ear lavage if no improvement
Sudden deafness
1. Some are self-limited
2. Check with ENT doctor ASAP
Dental pain
Cavity
Try ibuprofen and make appointment with dentist
Dental abscess
Need antibiotics together with ibuprofen
Sore throat
1. Tell the doctor if you have a fever, neck pain and cough
2. Having cough lower to risk to have a strep throat
3. Do a rapid strep test, taking antibiotics if strep positive
4. Adequate hydration and good rest if negative