It is another weekend! With how fast time is flying, we would be at the end of the year in no time. Anyways, it is time for another weekend wrap up following the trivia during the week.
Let us begin.
Monday: A Growing Concern About a Mole
A young woman notices a dark mole on her arm that has recently grown larger and has uneven edges. What should she do?
Options:
A) Ignore it; moles are normal
B) Try home remedies to lighten it
C) Apply sunscreen and monitor for changes
D) See a doctor for evaluation
Correct Answer: D) See a doctor for evaluation
Reasoning: A mole that grows larger, has uneven edges, or changes in color, shape, or size could be a sign of melanoma, which is a type of skin cancer. **The ABCDE rule **(Asymmetry, Border irregularity, Color variation, Diameter >6mm, Evolution) is a way doctors assess moles to highlight these warning signs and provide critical medical evaluation for early detection and treatment of a skin cancer.
Funfact-
Did you know that melanomas do not only affect the skin, but there have been reports that ocular melanoma, a cancer affecting the eye is the second most common form of melanoma?
Why the Other Options Don’t Fit:
A) Ignore it; moles are normal: While many moles are harmless, changes in size, shape, or color are not normal and require professional assessment to rule out cancer.
B) Try home remedies to lighten it: Home remedies won’t address potential malignancy and could delay necessary medical care, risking progression of skin cancer.
C) Apply sunscreen and monitor for changes: Sunscreen is good for prevention, but it doesn’t address an already suspicious mole. Monitoring without medical input risks missing a critical opportunity for early intervention.
Tuesday: A Pregnant Woman’s Sudden Symptoms
Question: A pregnant woman in her third trimester suddenly develops severe swelling in her hands and face, along with headaches and blurry vision. What condition might she have?
Options:
A) Gestational diabetes
B) Preeclampsia
C) Anemia
D) Urinary tract infection
Correct Answer: B) Preeclampsia
Reasoning: Preeclampsia is a serious condition in pregnancy, typically occurring after 20 weeks, characterized by high blood pressure, protein in urine, and symptoms like severe swelling, headaches, and vision changes. It’s a medical emergency requiring immediate attention to protect both mother and baby.
Fun fact-- Did you know that there are thoughts that preeclampsia is an evolutionary mechanism that was developed to protect the fetus in times of famine and distress. It seems to be the mother's biological emergency backup mode going crazy. Of course, it is yet to be substantiated and we do not have enough evidence to prove it, but it is fascinating to think about it in that light.
Why the Other Options Don’t Fit:
A)* Gestational diabetes*: This involves high blood sugar and doesn’t typically cause swelling, headaches, or vision issues—more common symptoms are increased thirst, frequent urination, and fatigue.
C) Anemia: Anemia (low red blood cell count) can cause fatigue and paleness but doesn’t align with severe swelling, headaches, or vision problems.
D) Urinary tract infection: While UTIs can cause discomfort, they don’t typically present with swelling, headaches, or vision changes unless severely untreated, which is rare in pregnancy monitoring.
Wednesday: Baby’s Soft Spots
Question: What is the medical name for the soft spots on a baby’s skull?
Options:
A) Sutures
B) Fontanelles
C) Cranium
D) Scalp
Correct Answer: B) Fontanelles
Reasoning: Fontanelles are the soft, membranous gaps between the bones of a baby’s skull, allowing for brain growth and facilitating childbirth. They typically close by 18–24 months. This term is specific and widely used in medical contexts.
Why the Other Options Don’t Fit:
A) Sutures: Sutures are the fibrous joints between skull bones, not the soft spots themselves—they’re the lines where fontanelles eventually ossify.
C) Cranium: The cranium refers to the entire skull, not the specific soft areas.
D) Scalp: The scalp is the skin and hair covering the skull, not the underlying soft spots.
I had a scare one time with a baby's fontanelle. I remember touching the anterior fontanelle and hearing a cracking sound. My heart jumped out of my chest. I thought I had broken something. Imagine my relief when I was educated that it was just fontanelle crepitus, due to the movement of the soft tissues and membranes over the unossified skull bones, temporary and harmless.
Thursday: A Child’s Asthma Attack
Question: A child with asthma is wheezing and struggling to breathe after playing outside. He has already used his inhaler once, but his breathing is still fast and labored. What should be done next?
Options:
A) Give him another dose of his inhaler and seek emergency help
B) Have him drink water and rest
C) Tell him to breathe slowly and deeply
D) Wait to see if it gets better on its own
Correct Answer: A) Give him another dose of his inhaler and seek emergency help
Reasoning: This scenario suggests a severe asthma attack not responding to initial treatment. A second dose of a rescue inhaler may help, but persistent symptoms require immediate medical attention—calling 911 or going to the ER—to prevent respiratory failure.
Why the Other Options Don’t Fit:
B)Have him drink water and rest: Hydration and rest won’t address acute bronchospasm or breathing difficulty in asthma.
C) Tell him to breathe slowly and deeply: This is impractical and dangerous during an asthma attack, as the child can’t control labored breathing effectively.
D) Wait to see if it gets better on its own: Delaying care in a severe asthma attack can lead to life-threatening complications like hypoxia.
How old were you when you discovered that there is something called "Thunderstorm Asthma"?. When there is a storm, the strong winds carry particles and pollens that could be triggers for asthma setting off an episode. It is a reasonable conclusion to come to, the weird thing about it is the fact that it had to get a name..
Friday: Severe Back and Side Pain
Question: A man complains of severe pain in his lower back and side. The pain comes and goes in waves and is so intense he can’t sit still. He also has blood in his urine. What is the most likely cause?
Options:
A) Appendicitis
B) Kidney stones
C) Urinary tract infection
D) Muscle strain
Correct Answer: B) Kidney stones
Reasoning: Kidney stones often cause severe, colicky (wavy) pain in the lower back or side as they move through the urinary tract, and blood in the urine (hematuria) is common due to irritation. The intensity and location match this diagnosis, which is frequent in adults.
Here is a weird fact about kidney stones. Some people have reported that they passed out small kidney stones after a rollercoaster ride. The ups and downs of the ride and the vibratory motion could be the reason why small stones get dislodged from the kidneys.
Why the Other Options Don’t Fit:
A) Appendicitis: Appendicitis causes pain in the lower right abdomen, not the lower back or side, and doesn’t typically involve blood in the urine.
C) Urinary tract infection: UTIs can cause pain and blood in urine, but the pain is usually less severe, more constant, and located in the pelvis or lower abdomen, not radiating in waves.
D) Muscle strain: Muscle strain causes localized, dull pain in the back, not severe, wavy pain with blood in urine.