• Articles

    Molluscum Contagiosum and Warts

    DANIEL L. STULBERG, ANNE GALBRAITH HUTCHINSON

    Armed with clinical experience and a few surgical tools and medicines, family physicians can treat most cases of molluscum contagiosum and warts.

    Counseling for Physical Activity in Overweight and Obese Patients

    KYLE J. MCINNIS, BARRY A. FRANKLIN, JAMES M. RIPPE

    Physician advice about physical activity is beneficial but may be overlooked. Physician guidance on exercise is particularly timely, given the epidemic of obesity in the United States.

    Diagnostic and Therapeutic Injection of the Shoulder Region

    ALFRED F. TALLIA, DENNIS A. CARDONE

    Joint injection should be considered only after other interventions such as nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs, physical therapy, and rest have been tried. Indications and techniques for joint injection are discussed.

    Saw Palmetto for Prostate Disorders

    ANDREA E. GORDON, ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY

    Saw palmetto is an herbal product that has proved effective in the treatment of symptoms related to benign prostatic hyperplasia. It is better tolerated, less expensive, and as effective as finasteride.

    Counseling Issues in Tubal Sterilization

    I. CORI BAILL, VANESSA E. CULLINS, SANGEETA PATI

    Tubal sterilization is the most commonly used contraceptive among women in the United States. Physicians should ensure that women understand the permanence of the procedure, the possibility of future regret, and the possible complications.

    Inside AFP

    POEMs: New Companions for Tips

    Janis Wright

    Cover photographs provided by Utah Valley Family Practice Residency Program, a division of Intermountain Health Care.

    Graham Center Policy One-Pager

    Family Physicians' Solutions to Common Medical Errors

    In two U.S. studies about medical errors in 2000 and 2001, family physicians offered their ideas on how to prevent, avoid, or remedy the five most often reported medical errors. Almost all reports (94 percent) included at least one idea on how to overcome the reported error....

    Newsletter

    Newsletter

    Matthew Neff

    AHRQ Launches New Web-Based Quality Measures Resource | CDC Report Shows Racial and Ethnic Disparities in Stroke Mortality | FDA Initiative to Improve Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Practices | HHS to Improve Quality of Care by Providing Home Health Quality Information

    Quantum Sufficit

    Quantum Sufficit

    Sarah Evans, Heather McNeill

    Here is some calming news. Researchers have found a way to simulate the brain's “all-clear” signal that turns off fear, shows a study published in Nature. Rats that had been conditioned to freeze with fear when a tone was followed by an electric shock no longer froze when the...

    Editorials

    Introducing POEMs

    ALLEN F. SHAUGHNESSY, JAY SIWEK

    In this issue of American Family Physician, we are pleased to introduce an ongoing feature called POEMs, a series that may already be familiar to many of our readers. The acronym POEMs, which stands for Patient-Oriented Evidence that Matters, refers to summaries of valid...

    Promoting Physical Activity in the Family Practice Setting

    LORRAINE S. WALLACE, EDWIN S. ROGERS, KENNETH BIELAK

    It is a daily and unfortunate scene in the family physician's office: a succession of patients for whom the best prescription is a lifestyle modification. One such modification could be an increase in physical activity. The preventive health benefits of regular physical...

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Diary from a Week in Practice

    Lately, I'm fielding questions about the smallpox vaccine. Misinformation abounds. Some believe that they retain immunity to smallpox no matter how long it has been since they were originally vaccinated. Others fear that the rate of serious adverse reactions from the vaccine...

    U.S. Preventive Services Task Force

    Chemoprevention of Breast Cancer: Recommendations and Rationale

    This statement summarizes the current U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendations for the chemoprevention of breast cancer and the supporting scientific evidence. Explanations of the current ratings and of the strength of overall evidence are given in Tables...

    POEMs and Tips

    Dyspepsia Alarm Symptoms Increase Cancer Risk

    MARK EBELL

    Watchful Waiting: An Option in Cholelithiasis

    MARK EBELL

    Early Invasive Strategy Cost-Effective for MI

    DAVID SLAWSON

    Normal d-Dimer Level Excludes PE

    MARK EBELL

    Stretching Ineffective Before Exercise

    ALLEN SHAUGHNESSY

    Rapid, Accurate Screen for Dementia

    MARK EBELL

    Physical Therapy Ineffective for Low Back Pain

    HENRY BARRY

    GI Cancer Associated with Iron Deficiency Anemia

    ALLEN SHAUGHNESSY

    Lifetime Risk of Developing Congestive Heart Failure

    CHUCK CARTER

    Does Any Advantage Result from Subtotal Hysterectomy?

    BILL ZEPF

    Using Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy for CO Poisoning

    BILL ZEPF

    Otitis Media Treatment in the Era of Antibiotic Resistance

    BILL ZEPF

    Diuretics in Patients with Acute Renal Failure May Be Harmful

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Review of Upper Extremity Deep Venous Thrombosis

    CHUCK CARTER

    Choosing Anticoagulation or Aspirin After Heart Attack

    BILL ZEPF

    Distinguishing Periorbital from Orbital Cellulitis

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Early Drug Use Associated with Later Mental Disorders

    KARL E. MILLER

    Statin Therapy in Very Elderly Patients with CAD

    KARL E. MILLER

    Lumpectomy vs. Mastectomy in Breast Cancer Treatment

    BILL ZEPF

    Preventing Plaque Rupture: New Clinical Strategies

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Diuretics Still the Best First-Line Antihypertensive Choice

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    C-Reactive Protein and LDL Cholesterol Levels in Women

    BILL ZEPF

    Do Air Filtration Systems Improve Asthma Symptoms?

    KARL E. MILLER

    No HRT or Antioxidants in Women with Coronary Disease

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Celecoxib vs. Standard NSAIDs in Patients with Arthritis

    BILL ZEPF

    Pharmacologic Management and Prevention of Migraine

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Do Anxiety and Depression Impact Patients with COPD?

    KARL E. MILLER

    Quality-of-Life Inquiries Aid Doctor-Patient Relationships

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Is Steroid Treatment of Otitis Media with Effusion Effective?

    CAROLINE WELLBERY

    Using Apolipoprotein B Levels to Assess Cardiac Risk

    RICHARD SADOVSKY

    Appropriate Use of Antibiotics in Respiratory Tract Infections

    KARL E. MILLER

    Practice Guidelines

    AAP Releases Clinical Report on Head Lice

    Genevieve W. Ressel

    The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has released a statement clarifying issues of diagnosis and treatment of head lice and making recommendations for dealing with it in the school setting.

    AAFP/ACP-ASIM Release Guidelines on the Management and Prevention of Migraines

    Barrett M. Schroeder

    Guidelines for primary care physicians on the pharmacologic management of acute migraine attacks and the prevention of migraines are available from the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) and the American College of Physicians–American Society of Internal Medicine ...

    Clinical Briefs

    Clinical Briefs

    Carrie Morantz, Brian Torrey

    Guidelines on Allergen Immunotherapy | AHRQ Report on Hospital Care of Women | ACOG Guidelines on Perinatal Care | Update on West Nile Virus Activity | AHRQ Releases New Clinical Preventive Services Guidebook | CDC Guidelines on Testing for Anti-HCV | FDA Approvals | CDC...

    Letters to the Editor

    Letters to the Editor

    Hypertension Should Be Confirmed Before Treatment

    Letters to the Editor

    Early Diagnosis and Treatment Vital in Cases of Foot Fractures

    Letters to the Editor

    Importance of Colorectal Cancer Screening

    Letters to the Editor

    Possible Side Effects Should Be Discussed with Patients

    Letters to the Editor

    Update on Prescribing Information for Pantoprazole

    Letters to the Editor

    Identifying and Diagnosing the Adult Neck Mass

    Use of Sildenafil for Patients with Penile Hypotonia

    DEEPA VASUDEVAN

    Information from Your Family Doctor

    Warts

    Warts are hard bumps on your skin. They can be as small as a pinhead or as large as a penny. You may have just one wart or many. Warts can develop anywhere on your skin, but they usually appear on the hands or feet.

    Physical Activity for Healthy Weight

    Most people are not active enough. Without enough exercise, we can become tired and unfit. This leaves us feeling unhealthy and less happy. Consider these points:

    Deciding About Tubal Sterilization

    Tubal sterilization is a type of surgery that helps keep you from getting pregnant. It closes off your fallopian tubes (where your eggs can be fertilized by sperm). When the tubes are closed, sperm can't reach the egg, so you can't get pregnant.

    Rotator Cuff Exercises

    The exercises described below (see Pictures 1 through 4) are to help you strengthen the muscles in your shoulder (especially the rotator cuff muscles). These exercises should not cause you pain. If the exercise hurts, stop exercising. Start again using a lighter weight.

    Shoulder Pain

    A common cause of shoulder pain is soreness of the tendon in the rotator cuff. The tendon is a cord that attaches a muscle to another body part. The rotator cuff is the part of the shoulder that helps the arm do a circular motion. Another common cause of shoulder pain is...

    Adhesive Capsulitis

    If you cannot move your shoulder around like you used to, you might have adhesive capsulitis (say: add-he-sive cap-sool-eye-tis). When it hurts to move your shoulder or you do not have as much movement in your shoulder as before, your shoulder may be “frozen.” Because of this...

    Corrections

    Corrections

    Corrections



    Disclosure

    All editors in a position to control content for this activity, AFP journal, are required to disclose any relevant financial relationships. View disclosures.


    Tag Legend

    Legend

    CME Continuing Medical Education Credit
    POC Point-of-Care Resource
    FREE Free Access
    Alg Algorithm
    DDx Differential Diagnosis
    PtEd Patient Education