A patient who has been in the hospital for 3 months starts to experience white patches on their tongue and roof of their mouth, they also have trouble swallowing, what do they likely have?

Choice A reason: Dysesthesia refers to abnormal sensations, often painful, like burning or aching, due to nerve damage. While related to sensory nerve dysfunction, it does not specifically describe the pins and needles sensation, which is better characterized by paresthesia, making this term less precise for the patient’s complaint.

Choice B reason: Paresthesia describes abnormal sensations like pins and needles, typically from nerve compression or irritation, as in carpal tunnel syndrome. It accurately captures the patient’s reported left-hand sensation, aligning with clinical terminology for documenting transient or chronic sensory nerve disturbances, making it the appropriate term.

Choice C reason: Proprioception is the sense of body position, mediated by sensory receptors in muscles and joints, not related to pins and needles sensations. It involves spatial awareness, not cutaneous sensory abnormalities, so this term is irrelevant to the patient’s sensory complaint in the left hand.

Choice D reason: A sprain is a ligament injury, causing pain and swelling, not sensory disturbances like pins and needles. It is a musculoskeletal issue, unrelated to neurological symptoms of nerve irritation, making this term inappropriate for documenting the patient’s sensory nerve-related complaint.

Choice A reason: Cyanosis, indicating hypoxia, is not typical in alcohol use disorder with weight gain and abdominal tightness, which suggest liver issues like ascites causing jaundice. Assuming cyanosis risks misdiagnosis, delaying liver assessment or treatment, critical for managing complications like cirrhosis or portal hypertension in patients with chronic alcohol use.

Choice B reason: Erythema (redness) is unrelated to alcohol-related abdominal tightness and weight gain, which indicate liver dysfunction, often presenting with jaundice. Misdiagnosing erythema risks overlooking hepatic issues, delaying interventions like diuretics for ascites, essential for managing liver complications and improving outcomes in alcohol use disorder patients.

Choice C reason: Appearing normal is unlikely with alcohol use disorder causing weight gain and abdominal tightness, typically from ascites or liver damage, presenting as jaundice. Assuming normal risks missing serious liver pathology, delaying diagnosis and treatment, critical for preventing progression of cirrhosis or liver failure in affected patients.

Choice D reason: Jaundice, yellowing of skin, is likely in alcohol use disorder with abdominal tightness and weight gain, indicating liver dysfunction (e.g., cirrhosis or alcoholic hepatitis) causing ascites. Recognizing this guides urgent liver evaluation and treatments like abstinence or diuretics, critical for managing complications and improving survival in chronic alcohol users.