Severe Chest Pain Following Blunt Thoracic Trauma
A 37-year-old man is involved in a high-speed motor vehicle collision. He was not wearing a seat belt and struck his chest on the steering wheel. He has presented complaining of severe central chest pain and breathlessness. You are the trauma call team leader. His...
An Unusually Severe Ear Infection
A 76-year old woman presents has severe otalgia in her left ear that has been gradually worsening over the past few weeks. She describes the pain as being ‘unrelenting’ and she has been unable to sleep for several nights. Her family have noticed that the left side of...
A Strange Rash After Swimming the English Channel
A 58-year-old woman presents to a walk-in clinic with a severe rash on her arms, legs and torso. The previous day she had swum the English Channel in 12 hours. When you examine her, you can see well-demarcated welts all over the affected areas with surrounding...
Spontaneous Ankle Pain After a Course of Antibiotics
A 62-year-old man presents with pain in the back of his right ankle. He was walking to the shops when he suddenly heard a loud ‘snap’. He states it felt like he had been ‘kicked in the back of the ankle’. On examination there is swelling, tenderness and bruising...
