Pluggers by Rick McKee for December 10, 2024

According to the Mayo clinic, glomerulonephritis is “inflammation of the tiny filters in the kidneys” while bacterial endocarditis is “a life-threatening inflammation of the inner lining of the heart’s chambers and valves.”

I have memorized all my meds, technical name and dosage. No idea why.

Why yes we did have " Anatomy and Physiology " in High School ….

I wish more doctors, pharmacists, nurses, and even medical ads would use more of the actual names and terms rather than rely on 3-or 4-letter acronyms. I realize they are all under a time-crunch [must see so many patients in the day to meet their quota, etc.] but being talked at using terms like CAD, HVD, OBS [or is it Obs?], PNA, NSA doesn’t help the typical patient. They just show that the medical person using them doesn’t really care whether the patient understands the problem or its relative seriousness.

Acronyms have too many other “meanings” in other contexts: Computer Aided Design? High-Voltage Differential? High-Definition Versatile Disc? Organic Brain Syndrome? obsolete? Palestinian National Authority? Portable NIC Architecture? Professional Nurse Advocate? National Security Agency?

What a person first understands an acronym to mean is based on personal experience. Every field, every profession, every sport, every hobby, every organized group has its own set of acronyms and terms that ‘insiders’ understand. That’s normal. A way to speed up communication among those inside the group. But such jargon shouldn’t be used to put up barriers between those “in” the group and others. They shouldn’t be used to put down others, to cause misunderstandings, fear or confusion. Particularly in serious, necessary communications, like what should be going on between medical staff and patients.

Almost all can be traced to obesity.

And use WebMD a lot searching for the casues of your many symptoms that a ppear out of nowhere.

Pluggers pay too much attention to drug company TV commercials saying “ask your doctor about…”

I have glomerulonephritis, and eye problems as well. My doctors think it all goes back to an untreated strep infection many years ago.

If your list of doctors is growing and your list of long term friends is decreasing you are an old Plugger.

Definitely write it down.

Or you are a medical coder who knows that this would probably be a pretty unlikely scenario.

This is especially true for diseases you have…or think you have?

Scenic Keedysville MD! Not too far from Roherersville and that bustling megatropolis of Booneboro.

I normally do some research on things before I see a doctor, and they seem surprised and even impressed that I’m not a total idiot about my health.

Man, he has MAJOR systems problems.

or a layman translator who’s once again been asked by a clueless customer to do a quick translation of a document written by a medical professional who’s a specialist in some obscure field of medicine…