I do love general practice sometimes. I saw a LOLNAD* today, at home, on her request. My colleague had taken a phone call last week from her, where she’d complained of insomnia. On my arrival I was handed a letter from the patient, as she thought she’d write down her problem instead of telling me about it. (This is not unusual, and not a bad idea usually if you’re the sort of patient who tends to forget symptoms or gets nervous on coming to the doctor).
The problem? Her next door neighbour. Specifically his shift pattern. More specifically, his operatic tenor which he practises at all hours of the day and night, to the distress of my “insomniac” patient, who despite being quite deaf, is kept awake by his singing. I think this is the first time I have ever treated insomnia with a phone call to Environmental Health.
*”Little old lady, no acute distress”
2 Comments
19 August, 2008 at 8:25 pm
LOL, what a great GP you are!
Best wishes from Liverpool
22 August, 2008 at 12:23 am
From someone who lived in student housing way too long….noise pollution can be a serious threat to health and wellbeing. I thank you on behalf of all noise pollutees!