Editor's Note, Volume 14 Issue 6

D’Arcy Little, MD, CCFP, FCFP, FRCPC Medical Director, JCCC and HealthPlexus.NET

We are pleased to present the last edition of 2024 of the Journal of Current Clinical Care, which as usual, features a collection of articles on important clinical topics across various specialities. Our aim is to provide you with practical insights and updates that can enhance your clinical practice.

In this edition, we have articles that cover Back Health, Imaging, and Medical Narratives.

The Back Health CME Resource article, written by Dr. Eugene Wai and Ted Findlay, focuses on Understanding Myofascial Pain Syndrome: Causes, Diagnosis, and Treatment. Myofascial Pain Syndrome (MPS) is a chronic pain disorder characterized by regional pain originating from hyperirritable spots located within taut bands of skeletal muscle and the sheaths of connective tissue, known as fascia, that surround them. Unlike other forms of pain, MPS is associated with specific trigger points within muscle tissue known as myofascial trigger points (MTrPs). This condition is a significant and often overlooked cause of musculoskeletal pain, affecting a substantial portion of the population and presenting a complex challenge for both diagnosis and treatment.

In the Imaging article, Dr. D’Arcy Little examines The Role of AI and Deep Learning in Diagnosing Rare Diseases through Electronic Medical Records. This article provides a comprehensive overview of how AI and deep learning can enhance the diagnosis of rare diseases by analyzing EMRs, highlighting both the potential benefits and challenges.

In his first Medical Narratives article, A New View of Aging: Together or Alone, Dr. Michael Gordon explores how more seniors are choosing to live alone after a spouse passes so as not to burden their children. In his second Medical Narratives, Shedding My Past, Dr. Michael Gordon shares some beautiful memories from his past.

We also want to highlight three podcasts in this edition, which we hope you find interesting and informative. Dr. Marina Malak presents her ‘Aging Prevention’ with her 3P: Pills, Pearls, and Patients podcast. Dr. Michael Gordon’s Medical Narratives podcast offers insights into ‘Geriatric Care in Canada’ with guest, Dr. Barry Goldlist, and Dr. D’Arcy Little’s Inside Radiology: A Primary Care Perspective offers an understanding of ‘Stroke Imaging in Primary Care’.

We hope you find this edition informative and valuable in your clinical practice. As always, we welcome your feedback and suggestions and hope you have a wonderful holiday season.