American family physician
-
Group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis is a common infection responsible for more than 6 million office visits in the United States annually. Only 10% of adults seeking care for a sore throat have group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis; however, 60% or more are prescribed antibiotics. Guidelines recommend using clinical decision rules to assess the risk of group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal infection, followed by rapid antigen testing if a diagnosis is unclear, before prescribing antibiotics. ⋯ Steroids are not recommended for symptomatic treatment. Patients with worsening symptoms after appropriate antibiotic initiation or with symptoms lasting 5 days after the start of treatment should be reevaluated. Tonsillectomy is rarely recommended as a preventive measure: seven episodes of streptococcal pharyngitis in 1 year, five episodes in each of the past 2 years, or three episodes in each of the past 3 years are commonly used thresholds for considering surgery.
-
Hearing loss is a prevalent, chronic condition in the United States; it is often gradual and progressive and is underreported by patients and undertreated by physicians. The impaired ability to effectively hear and communicate may result in negative emotional, cognitive, economic, and social consequences for individuals and may pose a safety risk. Questionnaires and smartphone apps are available to help identify and evaluate self-perceived hearing loss. ⋯ Medicare Parts A and B do not pay for hearing aids, although some Medicare Advantage (Part C) or supplemental plans may provide insurance coverage for hearing aids. Less expensive, over-the-counter hearing aids may help mild to moderate hearing loss. Family physicians should counsel patients on the importance of protecting their hearing.
-
Lumbar spinal stenosis is a clinical syndrome that affects more than 200,000 people in the United States annually. It is a common cause of chronic insidious low back pain, especially in older patient populations (mean age = 64 years). Lumbar spinal stenosis is a degenerative condition of the spine leading to narrowing in the spaces around the neurovascular bundles and the classic symptom of low back pain that radiates to the buttocks and lower extremities bilaterally. ⋯ Magnetic resonance imaging is the recommended diagnostic test because it allows cross-sectional measurement of the spinal canal. Options for nonsurgical management include physical therapy, exercise programs, spinal injections with and without corticosteroids, chiropractic treatment, osteopathic manipulation, acupuncture, and lifestyle modifications; however, few of these treatments have high-quality randomized trials demonstrating effectiveness. Surgery may be considered if nonsurgical management is ineffective.