A Rare Cause of Dysphagia to Remember: Calcific Tendinitis of the Longus Colli Muscle.

Longus colli tendinitis (LCT) is an acute inflammatory condition with symptoms typically consisting of acute neck pain and stiffness with or without dysphagia. Once more severe etiologies for these symptoms are ruled out, this self-limiting condition usually resolves spontaneously with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and corticosteroids. We present a case of LCT that presented as acute neck pain, dysphagia, and odynophagia that rapidly resolved once diagnosed and treated with anti-inflammatory agents.

The Diagnosis and Manifestations of Liver Injury Secondary to Off-Label Androgenic Anabolic Steroid Use.

Drug-induced liver injury (DILI) presents as a broad spectrum of adverse drug reactions which can range from a mild elevation in liver enzymes to fulminant liver failure. The primary goal is to identify DILI early when the patient's liver enzymes are elevated and to discontinue the offending agent as soon as possible to prevent further injury. Herbal, dietary supplements and anabolic steroids represent a significant component of the drugs thought to cause DILI in the United States.

Wikipedia vs peer-reviewed medical literature for information about the 10 most costly medical conditions.

Context: Since its launch in 2001, Wikipedia has become the most popular general reference site on the Internet and a popular source of health care information. To evaluate the accuracy of this resource, the authors compared Wikipedia articles on the most costly medical conditions with standard, evidence-based, peer-reviewed sources.

Methods: The top 10 most costly conditions in terms of public and private expenditure in the United States were identified, and a Wikipedia article corresponding to each topic was chosen.

Stings and bites: what to do about envenomation injuries.

Although serious envenomation injuries are rare in the United States, all emergency workers should be prepared for them. Most severe complications occur in people with previous allergies or pre-existing conditions. Many people, especially those with prediagnosed allergies, will be capable of self-treatment prior to EMS's arrival; however, prepare for the worst.

A bad way to end a vacation.

Although EMS units are frequently sent to calls that differ from their radio description, the fault for this does not necessarily lie with the dispatcher. The dispatcher can only relay information given over the phone, which is often a frantic, indecipherable description of an event. Dispatchers should be careful to avoid a premature diagnosis based on that information.