Print Article
Masks and Dark Glasses
As a seasoned medical provider, I can't tell you the importance of actually "seeing" the patient. I have always had issues when people come in wearing dark glasses. Since the eyes are the window to the soul, I find it very difficult to have an effective medical encounter with someone wearing dark glasses. When you address a particular medical question, you instinctually look at the eyes for response. Is the person making direct eye contact? If your patient is a teenager, are they "rolling their eyes" at you? Are they gazing downward? Before I start any medical encounter, I ask the person to please remove their dark glasses so I can see them, and not my own reflection.
H1N1 flu pandemic has hit our area big time. We set up a "flu station" in the lobby where people can use hand-sanitizers and pick up a surgical mask to wear. When I enter the examining room now, it is not uncommon for everyone to be wearing masks - except me.
Just like the eyes, I also like to see a person's entire face. I want to see if they are smiling, grimacing in pain, or frowning at me. If a person had both a mask and dark glasses, I would just assume they had a big paper bag on their heads. Just like the dark glasses, I ask them to remove their masks once they are in the examination room. I don't know how Westerners can practice medicine in the Middle East. If I saw a person wearing an Islamic burqa, I am not sure how I would react. But at least, could see her eyes.
The Lone Ranger wore a mask, like no one would really recognize a well-spoken man in clean white clothes, riding a white horse along with this companion, an Indian that speaks like Tarzan. Bank robbers and train bandits wear a scarf or bandana over their mouth and nose. Spiderman wears a full face mask apparently so you won't recognize him as Peter Parker. Superman doesn't wear a mask, but uses a pair of dark-rimmed glasses when he changes into Clark Kent - another clever disguise designed to fool idiots. A guy in a ski mask coming to my front door would definitely get a rise out of me.
If someone walked into a bank today, wearing a surgical mask and dark glasses, they would definitely get the attention of the security guards. Halloween is just around the corner, so our pediatric practice allows the staff to dress up, without masks, of course. Masks typically scare kids, even surgical masks. We don't get the Trick or Treat crowd in our rural neighborhood anymore. I sort of miss them.
The first time that I saw people in public wearing surgical masks was in Japan many years ago. Japan is a crowded, but highly-organized and respectful society. When I inquired about the masks, I assumed that people were protecting themselves from the germs of others. To my surprise, it was the people in the masks who were trying to keep their germs to themselves. They had colds or influenza and did not want to infect others. This is a very respectful hygienic practice that we rarely see in the U.S. People on the subways in the U.S. will just about sneeze in your face; or sneeze in their hands just before the grab the hand rails.
I have been exposed to so many cases of H1N1, that I expect that I have some residual immunity. I have been endured numerous sneezes and coughing in my direction. I have held contaminated hands. I have wiped noses of children. If and when the H1N1 vaccine arrives, I am not really sure I need it. I will take it for my patients, of course, but I suspect that I am either immune from prior infections, or darn lucky.
One provider was complaining this week that he had to wear to complete biohazard suit, complete with a battery-powered air filtration system and full spaceman helmet when he was examining a baby in the ICU. The baby was in protective isolation. He said it was impossible to listen to heart or lung sounds using a stethoscope while wearing a space helmet and noisy respirator.
Until this pandemic is over, we must all learn to tolerate people in surgical masks - even when they are surgeons. It could be worse. We could all be wearing those space suits.
Related Topics:
H1N1 flu pandemic has hit our area big time. We set up a "flu station" in the lobby where people can use hand-sanitizers and pick up a surgical mask to wear. When I enter the examining room now, it is not uncommon for everyone to be wearing masks - except me.
Just like the eyes, I also like to see a person's entire face. I want to see if they are smiling, grimacing in pain, or frowning at me. If a person had both a mask and dark glasses, I would just assume they had a big paper bag on their heads. Just like the dark glasses, I ask them to remove their masks once they are in the examination room. I don't know how Westerners can practice medicine in the Middle East. If I saw a person wearing an Islamic burqa, I am not sure how I would react. But at least, could see her eyes.
The Lone Ranger wore a mask, like no one would really recognize a well-spoken man in clean white clothes, riding a white horse along with this companion, an Indian that speaks like Tarzan. Bank robbers and train bandits wear a scarf or bandana over their mouth and nose. Spiderman wears a full face mask apparently so you won't recognize him as Peter Parker. Superman doesn't wear a mask, but uses a pair of dark-rimmed glasses when he changes into Clark Kent - another clever disguise designed to fool idiots. A guy in a ski mask coming to my front door would definitely get a rise out of me.
If someone walked into a bank today, wearing a surgical mask and dark glasses, they would definitely get the attention of the security guards. Halloween is just around the corner, so our pediatric practice allows the staff to dress up, without masks, of course. Masks typically scare kids, even surgical masks. We don't get the Trick or Treat crowd in our rural neighborhood anymore. I sort of miss them.
The first time that I saw people in public wearing surgical masks was in Japan many years ago. Japan is a crowded, but highly-organized and respectful society. When I inquired about the masks, I assumed that people were protecting themselves from the germs of others. To my surprise, it was the people in the masks who were trying to keep their germs to themselves. They had colds or influenza and did not want to infect others. This is a very respectful hygienic practice that we rarely see in the U.S. People on the subways in the U.S. will just about sneeze in your face; or sneeze in their hands just before the grab the hand rails.
I have been exposed to so many cases of H1N1, that I expect that I have some residual immunity. I have been endured numerous sneezes and coughing in my direction. I have held contaminated hands. I have wiped noses of children. If and when the H1N1 vaccine arrives, I am not really sure I need it. I will take it for my patients, of course, but I suspect that I am either immune from prior infections, or darn lucky.
One provider was complaining this week that he had to wear to complete biohazard suit, complete with a battery-powered air filtration system and full spaceman helmet when he was examining a baby in the ICU. The baby was in protective isolation. He said it was impossible to listen to heart or lung sounds using a stethoscope while wearing a space helmet and noisy respirator.
Until this pandemic is over, we must all learn to tolerate people in surgical masks - even when they are surgeons. It could be worse. We could all be wearing those space suits.
Related Topics:
- Ear, Nose & Throat Message Board with Rod Moser, PA, PhD
- Living Better Newsletter - Wellness news to keep you healthy and strong!
Labels: faces, flu, H1N1, health and wellness, masks, medical practice, swine flu
Welcome to WebMD Health Exchanges
WebMD Pregnancy Exchange
WebMD Parenting Exchange