If a physical cause for the depression is ruled out, a psychological evaluation should be done, by the physician or by referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist.

A good diagnostic evaluation will include a complete history of symptoms, i.e., when they started, how long they have lasted, how severe they are, whether the patient had them before and, if so, whether the symptoms were treated and what treatment was given. The doctor should ask about alcohol and drug use, and if the patient has thoughts about death or suicide. Further, a history should include questions about whether other family members have had a depressive illness and, if treated, what treatments they may have received and which were effective.

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Skin Cancer, Often Underestimated

Skin cancer strikes an estimated three million people a year worldwide making it the most common of all types of cancer. We know the main cause of most skin cancer cases and we know how to prevent the vast majority of them. Yet still millions of people across the globe are ignoring the warnings and deliberately putting themselves at risk of developing a disease which can both maim and kill its victims.

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Spain September 2007

The debilitating condition Irritable Bowel Syndrome, known as IBS, now affects up to 8 million people in the UK, and the medical profession are still unable to define a specific cause. Around 50% of sufferers report that their symptoms started close to a stressful period in their lives, such as a divorce, moving house, suddenly losing a job, or bereavement. Many people believe that their IBS is caused by an allergy to specific foods, as eating a meal often triggers the symptoms.

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In a recent study from the Annals of Rheumatic Diseases, the authors, Dr. Hay and Dr. Van Der Windt, out of both the Netherlands and United Kingdom, compared the results of traditional shoulder pain treatment in the primary care setting and the effects of those treatments. Both studies attempted to assess the differences in how these patients were treated and the progress they made. They first noted that shoulder problems are common with up to 47% adults in the general population reporting such symptoms in a 1 year period.

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