Question

You read the doctor’s notes on a patient named Bill, who has been seen for shoulder pain. You want to be able to understand the notes and also be able to clearly explain the information to Bill. Translate the doctor’s notes into layman’s terms: (Use unit 3 lessons 2 and 4 to help you) 22 y.o. male c/o left lateral shoulder pain. Pt experiences stiffness and pain during abduction and moderate discomfort with adduction of the arm. Mild edema noted on anterior of shoulder. MRI ordered of LUE to r/o rotator cuff injury.

Answer 1

Sure! Here’s a simplified explanation of the doctor’s notes about Bill:

Bill is a 22-year-old man who is complaining about pain in the outer part of his left shoulder. He feels stiff and has pain when he lifts his arm out to the side (this is called abduction). He also feels a moderate amount of discomfort when bringing his arm back towards his body (this is called adduction). The doctor noticed some mild swelling at the front of his shoulder. To investigate further and rule out any possible injury to the rotator cuff (a group of muscles and tendons that help support the shoulder), the doctor has requested an MRI of his left upper extremity (which includes the shoulder and arm).

In summary, Bill is dealing with pain and stiffness in his left shoulder, and the doctor is taking steps to find out what's wrong.