Canadian family physician Médecin de famille canadien
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Jellyfish envenomation can cause an immediate local skin reaction, which is usually a painful linear vesiculourticarial eruption. Persistent, delayed, or recurrent dermatitis is less common. Because jellyfish sting reactions and their management are unfamiliar to family physicians, we describe a case of recurrent local dermatitis after jellyfish envenomation and suggest appropriate treatment.
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Intracutaneous sterile water appears to be a simple, effective, and harmless technique for relieving back pain. This technique has been used to relieve pain of renal colic, whiplash, and back pain in labour. Family doctors often practise obstetrics in small or isolated units that have limited options for pain relief in labour. This technique is simple, is easy to learn, and appears effective for relieving back pain, which complicates about one third of all labours.
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Treatment of adolescents with clinical depression is multimodal, involving pharmacologic, psychotherapeutic, educational, and family interventions. Medication has a limited role because of its lack of efficacy, its minimal effect on etiologic factors, and the frequent noncompliance of adolescents. Physicians should promote coping mechanisms and effective problem-solving styles to prevent recurrence of depression.