Should the patients pain be treated before a surgical consultation to address abdominal pain?
Do not hesitate to treat pain before the consultation. Some health care providers fear that pain management may mask symptoms and interfere with making a diagnosis. However, no evidence exists that pain management affects diagnosis. The patient’s comfort should always be a prime consideration. • Is it sufficient to write GERD or diarrhea in a patient’s record? It is insufficient simply to write “GERD” or “diarrhea” in the patient’s record or other documentation without additional clarification. Securing and documenting as much detail as possible about the nature of the problem is more likely to result in the selection of a treatment that will produce the best possible outcome. • What is the first-line treatment for GERD or esophagitis? Proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are considered the first-line treatment for GERD as well as esophagitis. It is acceptable to utilize less potent agents to treat milder GERD as PPIs may cause some of the GI symptoms (e.g., nausea, indigestion) that they are
