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Hospital intern errors: lessons from 20 years ago
Learning from the errors of others is helpful as it increases your chances of a smooth journey through medicine. Most of us are wise enough to adopt this approach. For those who tend to rush ahead,...
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Physical signs of anxiety
It's surprising how anxious new patients can be. There are several helpful strategies we, as clinicians, can employ. For patients who don't know what to expect at an upcoming neurology appointment, a...
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Anterior abdominal sensory loss
Peripheral neuropathy is a common scenario in clinical neurology. Patients will present with distal lower limb sensory loss, paraesthesia and neuropathic pain - often worse at night. Management of the...
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Dysphagia denial
When patients present with features of motor neurone disease, myopathy, myasthenia gravis or stroke, it is particularly important to screen for dysphagia. This begins with a careful history (e.g. ask...
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Beware assumptions: neurology & business
Some assumptions are helpful in clinical medicine. They serve to reduce cognitive overload and allow the treating doctor to move through their workload more efficiently. Let's look at a few positive...
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Neurology study tips: medical students and junior doctors
Let's be honest, the majority of medical students and doctors who study neurology, do so under duress. An exam looms not far in the future - written or clinical. That obstacle must be crossed...
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10 Traps in Neurology
Clinical neurology is usually quite straightforward. On occasion, that is not the case. We, as doctors, can fall into a range of cognitive 'traps'. Knowing in advance the 'traps' to watch out for is...
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Neurology in a hospital: the good, the bad and the ugly
What comes to mind when you think of hospital-based neurology? Many neurology trainees see this as their ultimate goal. Eventually, we must all decide: (a) remain working within a hospital service or...
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Sodium valproate: side effects of a global medication
Sodium valproate is the most prescribed anticonvulsant worldwide. It has a broad spectrum of activity in epilepsy and is available in different formulations: oral liquid, oral tablet and intravenous...
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Ocular side effects of prednisolone
In clinical neurology, prednisolone is used for a range of conditions: acute and chronic. Although the benefits are plain to see, the side effects should not be overlooked. The complications of steroid...
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SMART: a rare complication
There are several potential side effects of cranial radiotherapy. Some occur acutely whereas others are delayed. An example of a rare delayed complication is termed SMART syndrome: stroke-like migraine...
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Hospital ward rounds: too slow?
Ward rounds are a curious means of doing business. Don't you agree? Let's consider the humble ward round from the perspective of time. What is the optimal time taken to complete a productive hospital...
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The art of history taking in medicine
You may have heard this phrase before: the art and science of medicine. We should expand the phrase to incorporate 'business' but that is a topic for another day. For now, let's look at the art of...
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Passing the FRACP written exam: simple, not easy
The vast majority of candidates who sit the FRACP written exam in Australia and New Zealand will pass it. But that doesn't mean it's easy! Let's look at some practical tips on how to make your study...
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Immunosuppression & immunomodulation in neurology: traps to avoid
The use of immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory agents in neurology has transformed the specialty from largely diagnostic to, now, largely therapeutic. With these advances comes a heavy...
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How to study in med school and beyond: one size does not fit all
Here at Neurology Night School we devote an entire section to study techniques. You may find that your approach to exams is quite different to fellow students or work colleagues. Those of us who have...
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Erythema ab igne: old and forgotten?
A little reading can save a lot of time. Maintaining an interest in old case reports can save us (and our patients) from wasted effort, money and anxiety. Conditions or syndromes easily recognised by...
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Fix frustrations with simple systems
Over the years as a consultant neurologist, I will occasionally leave work frustrated or irritated by a memorable (but negative) event. This can be with a patient, family member, colleague or...
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Superior oblique myokymia
Superior oblique myokymia is a rare entity. It causes unilateral nystagmus and the patients describe uniocular vertical diplopia and oscillopsia. This benign condition is usually idiopathic and...
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Four facts about the fourth cranial nerve
Learning neuroanatomy can be a chore. Let's keep this short and to the point then... Here are four interesting facts about the very interesting trochlear nerve.
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