Interpreting Patient Stories
Everything in life is a narrative, and understanding the clinical narrative enhances your clinical skills. This is a crucial part of being a clinician, as it encourages reliance on your own judgment rather than solely on tests. This approach adds meaning to our work.
Let me share the story of a man who came to see me, complaining of a persistent sensation in his right eye. He mentioned that this issue had been present for a few months, had appeared suddenly, and nothing seemed to alleviate it. According to him, an optometrist had already given his eye a clean bill of health. He also noted that he found temporary relief by pulling his eyelid away.
During the consultation, I observed something visible on his right eye. I examined it with the slit lamp and then asked him, “How many birds do you have?” He responded, “Seven.”
This turned out to be a bird seed granuloma, although it wasn’t a true granuloma. It was just an organic husk from bird seed causing local inflammation. The solution was simple: pick it off with a fine 30G needle, prescribe a short course of topical steroids for a week, and the problem resolves.
We all face time constraints, but learning how to communicate with patients can help you solve most issues. Unfortunately, this skill isn’t taught at university.
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