Functional Medicine

ALL grades of clinicians, allied health professionals, advanced practitioners, staff grades and medical students are WELCOME to attend this engaging event.

This afternoon webinar will include the following talks:

2.00 pm
Asthma mimics
Dr Tom Pantin, Clinical Team for Severe Asthma Lead, Manchester University NHS FT (Wythenshawe)

Learning objectives:

• Understand what inducible laryngeal obstruction (ILO) is and its presentation
• Understand what breathing pattern disorder (BPD) is and its presentation
• Explore the role of the Manchester Airway Service Complex breathlessness clinic in investigating, treating and medicine optimisation
   

2.45 pm
Functional Neurological Disorders
Dr Rachael Power, Consultant Neurologist, Clinical Lead for Neurology, Manchester Centre for Clinical Neuroscience and Associate Hospital Dean, University of Manchester

Learning objectives:

• The pathophysiology of FND
• How to explain FND to the patient
• How to manage FND

3.30pm
Comfort Break
 

3.45 pm
Functional gastroenterology 
Professor Peter Whorwell, Professor of Medicine and Gastroenterology, University of Manchester and Director of South Manchester Functional Bowel Service 
 

Talk synopsis:

Functional gastrointestinal disorders account for 30-50% of the gastroenterologist’s workload but unfortunately are often dismissed as being trivial and all in the head of the patient.  The most common example is irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) which, when severe, can destroy a sufferer’s life with, for example, intense abdominal pain and faecal incontinence.  IBS largely affects the lower end of the gastrointestinal system whereas functional dyspepsia (FD) affects the stomach and non-cardiac chest pain (NCCP) affects the oesophagus. There are disorders of other anatomical sites of the gastrointestinal system which have appropriate names. In the past the word ‘functional’ was used to describe a patient who you shouldn’t waste your time on, but fortunately that attitude is in decline.  Nevertheless, in an attempt to get away from the functional gastrointestinal disorder descriptor, the term ‘disorder of gut brain interaction’ (DGBI) has been recommended.

These conditions are notoriously challenging to treat, and effective management is time consuming and often involves trial and error. This approach does not fit well with the needs of a modern busy NHS with long waiting lists but is remarkably satisfying for the physician who adopts it. Despite not being able to cure these individuals they are usually eternally grateful to someone who has just taken the time to listen and endorse their suffering.

Learning objectives:

1. To better recognise the symptoms of functional gastrointestinal disorders and how they can affect the quality of life of the sufferer.
2. To learn that although these conditions cannot be cured, there are treatment options available, but one size does not fit all.
3. To appreciate the huge rewards that come from just listening to a patient.

4.30 pm
Close

Attendees will receive a CPD certificate of attendance