Murtagh's General Practice Companion Handbook

Contents
Laboratory reference values
Normal values: diagnostic guidelines
A
	ABC of general practice
	A diagnostic perspective
	Abdominal pain
	Acne
	Acute allergic reactions
	Addison disease
	Adolescent health
	Alcohol problems
	Alopecia areata (patchy hair loss)
	Amnesia (loss of memory)
	Anaemia
	Angina pectoris
	Anorectal disorders
	Antibiotic prescribing
	Anxiety disorders
	Aphthous ulcers (canker sores)
	Arm and hand pain
	Arthritis
	Asthma
B
	Back pain
	Bad news (breaking bad news)—guidelines
	Balanitis (balanoposthitis)
	Bed sores (pressure sores)
	Belching (aerophagia)
	Bell’s (facial nerve) palsy
	Benzodiazepine problems
	Biological terrorism
	Bites and stings
	Bladder dysfunction
(in women during night)
	Blepharitis
	Body odour
	Boils (recurrent)
	Breast lumps
	Breast pain (mastalgia)
	Breath-holding attacks
	Bronchiolitis
	Bronchitis
	Bruising and bleeding
	Bruxism (teeth grinding)
	Burning feet syndrome
	Burns
C
	Cancer
	Cannabis (marijuana)
	Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
	‘Cellulite’
	Cellulitis
	Central nervous system infections (incl.
meningitis, encephalitis, abcess)
	Cervical cancer and Pap smears
	Chest pain
	Chilblains
	Children: normal developmental
milestones
	Children: developmental disorders
	Child abuse
	Childhood: common infectious diseases
	Children: special observations
	The child as a barometer of the family
	Children’s behaviour disorders
	Children: surgical problems
	Children: neonatal leg and foot
abnormalities
	Children: special senses
	Optimal times for surgery/intervention in early children’s disorders
	Children’s emergencies
	Children’s skin and hair disorders
	Chloasma
	Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
	Cold sores
	Common cold (acute coryza)
	Communication and consulting skills (or how to prevent litigation)
	Concussion
	Conjunctivitis
	Constipation
	Contact dermatitis
	Contraception
	Cough
	Counselling skills
	Court appearance
	‘Cracked’ skin
	Cramps (nocturnal cramps in legs)
	Cranial nerves
	Croup
D
	Dandruff
	Deafness and hearing loss
	Depression
	Dermatitis/eczema
	Diabetes mellitus
	Diarrhoea
	Difficult, demanding and angry patients
	Diplopia
	Disturbed patients
	Diverticular disease
	Dizziness/vertigo
	Disequilibrium
	Domestic violence
	Dry eyes
	Dry hair
	Dry mouth
	Dry skin
	Dyslipidaemia
	Dysmenorrhoea (primary)
	Dyspareunia
	Dyspepsia (indigestion)
	Dysphagia
	Dyspnoea
	Dystonia
	Dysuria and frequency
E
	Ear pain
	Ear exostoses (‘surfer’s ear’)
	Ectropion
	Elderly patients
	Emergency management of key medical conditions
	Encopresis
	Endocarditis
	Endometriosis
	Entropion
	Enuresis (bed-wetting)
	Epilepsy
	Epistaxis
	Erectile dysfunction
	Erysipelas
	Eye: dry
	Eye pain and redness
	Eyelashes: ingrowing (trichiasis)
	Eyelid ‘twitching’ or ‘jumping’
	Eyes: flash burns
F
	Facial pain
	Fatty liver
	Fever and chills
	Fibroids (leiomyoma)
	Fibromyalgia syndrome
	Flatus: excessive
	Floaters and flashers of eyes
	Folliculitis
	Foot odour (smelly and sweaty feet)
	Foot pain (podalgia)
	Freckles and lentigines (sun spots)
	Frostbite
G
	Gambling
	Ganglion
	Gastroenteritis
	Gastroparesis (gastropathy) in adults
	Genetic disorders
	Genital herpes
	Genital warts
	Geographical tongue (erythema migrans)
	Gingivitis
	Glandular fever
	Globus hystericus
	Gout (monosodium urate crystal disease)
	Granuloma annularae
	Growing pains
	Grover’s disease
	Guillain–Barre syndrome
H
	Haematemesis and melaena
	Haematuria
	Haemochromatosis
	Haemorrhoids
	Hair disorders
	Halitosis
	Hangover
	Hay fever (seasonal allergic rhinitis)
	Head banging or rocking in toddlers
	Headache
	Head injury and unconsciousness
	Heartburn (dyspepsia)
	Heart failure
	Heel pain
	Hepatitis
	Herpes simplex
	Herpes zoster (shingles)
	Hiccoughs (hiccups)
	Hip pain
	Hirsutism (hirsuties)
	Hives (papular urticaria)
	Hoarseness
	Human immunodeficiency
virus infection
	Hypertension
	Hyperventilation
	Hypoglycaemia
I
	Immunisation
	Impetigo
	Incontinence of urine
	Infantile colic
	Infertility
	Influenza
	Ingrowing toenails
	Injectable contraceptives
	Insect stings
	Insomnia
	Intertrigo
	Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS)
J
	Jaundice
	Jet lag
	Jitters
	Jock itch
K
	Kawasaki’s disease (mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome)
	Keloid or hypertrophic scar
	Keratoacanthoma
	Keratoses (solar and seborrhoeic)
	Keratosis pilaris
	Kidney disease
	Knee pain
L
	Laryngitis
	Lead poisoning
	Leg pain
	Lice infestation
	Lichen planus
M
	Melanoma
	Melasma (chloasma)
	Meniere’s syndrome
	Menopause syndrome
	Menorrhagia
	Men’s health: an overview
	Metabolic syndrome
	Migraine attack
	Milker’s nodules
	Molluscum contagiosum
	‘Monkey muscle’ tear
	Morning sickness
	Mouth soreness
	Mouth ulcers
	Multiple sclerosis (MS)
	Myocardial infarction and NSTEACS
		The ECG and myocardial infarction
	Myoclonic jerks (periodic limb movement disorder)
N
	Nail disorders
	Nappy rash
	Narcotic dependence
	Neck pain
	Needlesticks and sharps injuries
	Nightmares (dream anxiety)
	Nose
	Nutrition advice
O
	Obesity
	Obsessive–compulsive disorder
	Obstetric care
	Oily hair
	Opioid (heroin) overdosage
	Orf
	Osteoporosis
	Otitis externa
	Otitis media
P
	Paget disease (osteitis deformans)
	Pain and its management
	Palliative care
	Palpitations
	Panic attack
	Parkinson disease
	Paronychia
	Pelvic inflammatory disease (females)
	Pelvic pain
	Perioral dermatitis
	Peripheral neuropathy
	Personality disorders
	Perspiration: excessive (hyperhidrosis)
	Phimosis
	Photoageing/wrinkles
	Pityriasis rosea
	Pityriasis versicolor (tinea versicolor)
	Plantar warts
	Pneumonia
	Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
	Polymyalgia rheumatica and giant cell arteritis
	Premenstrual tension syndrome
	Prickly heat (miliaria/heat rash)
	Prostate disorders
	Pruritus (generalised)
	Pruritus ani
	Pruritus vulvae
	Psoriasis
R
	Rectal bleeding
	Refugee health
	Restless legs (Ekbom’s syndrome)
	Reye’s syndrome and aspirin
	Rhinitis
	Ringworm
	Rosacea
	Ross River infection
S
	Scabies
	Scrotal pain
	Seborrhoeic dermatitis
	Septicaemia (sepsis)
	Sexually transmitted infections
	Shingles
	Shoulder pain
	Sinusitis
	Skin cancer
	Skin eruptions
	Sleep disorders
	Smoking/nicotine
	Snapping or clinking hip
	Snoring
	Sore throat
	Spinal dysfunction
	Splenectomy patients
	Sprained ankle
	Stinging fi sh
	Stitch in side (precordial catch, Texidor twinge)
	Stroke and TIAs (transient ischaemic attacks)
	Stuttering
	Stye in eye
	Subconjunctival haemorrhage
	Sudden infant death syndrome
(SIDS) and ALTE
	Sunburn
	Sweating
	Syphilis
T
	Tampon toxic shock syndrome
	Tearduct (nasolacrimal duct)
blockage in child
	Teething
	Temporomandibular joint dysfunction
	Tennis elbow
	Tension headache
	Testicular tumours
	Tetanus
	Thrombophilia
	Thrush (candidiasis) of mouth
	Thumb sucking
	Thyroid disorders
	Tick bites
	Tics
	Tinea infections
	Tinnitus
	Tiredness/fatigue
	Tongue disorders
	Torticollis (acute wry neck)
	Travel medicine and
tropical infections
	Travel sickness
	Tremor
	Tropical ear
U
	Umbilical discharge
	Umbilical granuloma in infants
	Undescended testes
	Unemployment
	Urethritis
	Urinary tract infection
	Urticaria (hives)
V
	Vaginal discharge
	Venous ulcers
	Visual loss
	Vitiligo
	Vomiting
	Vulvar disorders
W
	Warfarin oral anticoagulation
	Warts
	Weight loss
	Whiplash
	Whole-person approach
to management
	Worms (helminths) see tropical infections
	Wounds: removal of non-absorbable
sutures
	Wrinkles
	Writer’s cramp
Z
	Zoonoses
Appendixes