Diagnosing Dizziness

Since dizziness can be cause by anything from BPPV to brain tumor, diagnosing the cause of dizziness can be a hugh challenge! This is an algorithm (or map) that I made to help simply the process. Hope it helps! A much higher quality PDF version of this algorithm is available by clicking here.

Imaging for Chronic Sinusitis

Do you have a patient with "chronic sinusitis" and you want to order some imaging?

• Order a limited CT scan of sinuses (without contrast)
• This costs about the same as a sinus x-ray
• But it gives way better images!

RED FLAG FRIDAY: Sore Throats

When someone comes in for a sore throat, I look especially for a peritonsilar abscess. And when I do NOT find one, this is how I document a normal exam: Tonisilar pillars are symmetric and uvula a midline. If there is a peritonsilar abscess—which happens about once a year in my practice—I send the patient immediately to the ER who then consults an ENT doc to do an incision and drainage of the abscess. (I'm not about to stick a scalpel near someone's carotid artery!)