In this latest Bugs and Drugs episode, we will discuss a very rare bacterial disease that primarily affects the gastrointestinal tract. However, it can affect other organs such as joints, heart and lungs. This infectious disease is known as Tropheryma whipplei or Whipple disease. Your patient might present with chronic diarrhea, weight loss, abdominal pain and joint problems. To help you correctly diagnose this, you’ll need to take some biopsies and imaging to identify the T. whipplei bacterium. Next, the treatments that can be offered are prolonged antibiotic therapy and potential surgical intervention. Join Dr. Niket Sonpal as he dives deep into this enigmatic world of Whipple’s disease. January 29, 2024 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —

For those that travel to paradise, you are looking forward to sunshine, sandy toes and…intestinal pain? Tropical Sprue, not to be confused with traveler’s diarrhea, is a chronic malabsorption syndrome that can plague those living in or visiting tropical regions. Symptoms like chronic diarrhea, weight loss, and fatigue can turn your dream vacation into a living nightmare. We’ll break down how to diagnose this sneaky, gut mimicking gut issue and the different treatments like dietary changes and antibiotics to restore your gut health back to normal. Join Dr. Niket Sonpal as he dives into this mysterious gut condition and unravels its secrets to get you back to enjoying paradise. January 22, 2024 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —

In this episode, we will talk about a microbe lurking in your water. It can cause intestinal problems such as diarrhea, stomach cramps and bloating. It’s found in contaminated water and undercooked or raw foods and is one of the most common waterborne illnesses in the United States. This microscopic parasite is giardia. Giardia can be diagnosed from a stool test or microscopic examination. And is treated with antibiotics, in most cases it will clear up within a few days. The best thing to do is to prevent giardia by not drinking untreated water, avoid swimming in lakes or streams that may be contaminated and wash your hands after using the restroom. Join Dr. Niket Sonpal as he discusses this common, yet sneaky microscopic parasite. January 15, 2024 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —

Knees causing trouble again? This time, it is not gout, but an imposter known as pseudogout. Now what is pseudogout, you ask? Think of it as gout’s mischievous twin. Like gout, it triggers sudden knee pain and inflammation, but instead of uric acid crystals, it is calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) crystals in your joints. The symptoms are similar to gout, swelling, redness and pain, often in the knees, ankles or wrists. To diagnose pseudogout, you’ll do some blood work to check for uric acid and X-rays and joint fluid analysis will help identify the culprit. Some treatments are rest, ice and anti-inflammatory medications. Join Dr. Niket Sonpal as he spreads awareness about this lesser-known joint troublemaker. January 8, 2024 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —

Happy New Year! Have you or your patient ever experienced a pain in your toe so agonizing it feels like someone stabbed you in the joint? Then you might have what used to be known as, “the disease of kings,” also known as gout. We will dive into exploring gout, busting myths, exploring remedies and offering tips to keep those crystals calm. Join Dr. Niket Sonpal as he unravels the myths and misery of this royal pain. January 1, 2024 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —  

Happy holidays! Let’s take a deep dive into the world of water, that essential liquid we sometimes take for granted.  In this episode, we’ll be busting some myths about water’s most popular misconceptions.Is the pH in that alkaline water better for you? Is 8 cups of water enough to keep you hydrated throughout the day? Does dark urine mean you are dehydrated? Join Dr. Niket Sonpal on this refreshing journey as he dispels water myths. December 25, 2023 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —

As the holidays approach, one of the classic holiday movies that will be playing is Home Alone. As you may know, Kevin, the pint-sized architect of chaos, unleashes some amazing booby traps on the Wet Bandits. Ever wonder how they could have survived after each trap? Join Dr. Niket Sonpal as he peels back and examines the (not-so-realistic) physics that kept our favorite burglars breathing. December 18, 2023 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —

With the holiday season in full swing, it also comes with more people getting sick and getting sinus infections. The specific sinus infection that we will discuss is rhinosinusitis, which is an inflammation of the lining of the sinuses and the nasal cavity. It can be caused by a variety of factors, including allergies, infections and structural abnormalities. We will go over the four different types of rhinosinusitis: acute, subacute, chronic and recurrent acute. Next, is the symptoms your patient will present with such as facial pain, nasal congestion and loss of smell. The different treatments that you can offer are over-the-counter medications, antibiotics and nasal corticosteroids. Join Dr. Niket Sonpal as he helps us understand and manage rhinosinusitis. December 11, 2023 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —

In the latest podcast episode, we will discuss a common foot condition known as plantar fasciitis. It is the inflammation of the thick band of tissue that runs along the bottom of the foot. This tissue plays a crucial role in supporting the arch of the foot and absorbing shock while walking or running. Dr. Niket Sonpal will go over the symptoms, most common is heel pain and it is usually when taking the first couple of steps. Treatments for plantar fasciitis typically include rest, ice, pain relievers and physical therapy. Surgery may be recommended, but studies have shown that it might not actually help. We hope you have a great holiday week! Happy Thanksgiving! December 4, 2023 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —  

In this episode, we will go over some common bicep injuries, which sometimes can be masked as shoulder pain. The bicep is located in the front of the upper arm and is responsible for bending the elbow.  Bicep injuries can range from mild to severe, and can be caused by a variety of factors, including overuse, sudden trauma, and underlying medical conditions. Some symptoms of a bicep injury can vary depending on the severity of the injury. Such as pain in the bicep muscle, bruising and swelling, weakness of the muscle and/or difficulty flexing the elbow. Treatment options will vary from rest, ice, compression, over-the-counter medications and physical therapy. Join Dr. Niket Sonpal helps everyone with this very common injury. November 27, 2023 — Do you work in primary care medicine? Primary Care Medicine Essentials is our brand new program specifically designed for primary care providers to increase their core medical knowledge & improve patient flow optimization. Learn more here: Primary Care Essentials —