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Introduction: Back pain is considered a lifestyle disease due to its prevalence and the increasingly young age of patients. The aim of this paper is a critical analysis of available guidelines, reports and evidence of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in low back pain. This paper presents epidemiology, aetiology, diagnosis and selected methods of treatment and prevention of low back pain. Materials and methods: The literature was reviewed based on the Polish Medical Bibliography computer database and the English-language PubMed, Web of Sciences and Cochrane Library database. Additionally, the Google Scholar search engine was used. The presented works have been analyzed in terms of their scientific reference and compliance with the principles of Evidence-Based Medicine. In order to obtain high-quality recommendations, the review included current scientific evidence based on peer-reviewed scientific publications, systematic reviews, meta-analyses and randomized controlled trials. Results: According to numerous studies, bed rest is ineffective and should not be recommended. The literature on the effects of acupuncture, TENS, cold therapy and traction on low back pain is too heterogeneous; further high-quality research is needed before any final conclusions are drawn. Strongly recommended methods for treating low back pain symptoms are: physical exercise, manual therapy, and education. Conclusions: Further research is required to identify effective non-pharmacological treatments for low back pain, and to understand the additional benefits of combining individual interventions, as well as which treatment combinations and sequences are most effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, a significant increase in the incidence of invasive fungal infections has been observed. It is caused, among others, by an increasing number of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic methods as well as by improper use of broad-spectrum antibiotics. Patients hospitalized in intensive care units can be included in the group of patients at the highest risk of developing invasive fungal infections. High mortality, the emergence of drug-resistant strains and changing epidemiology of invasive fungal infections calls for an in-depth assessment of the risk factors and the identification of patients with a high probability of developing such an infection. The aim of this paper is to present the current state of knowledge concerning the invasive fungal infection diagnostic and treatment methods in patients treated in ICU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Granular cell tumour (GCT), first described by Abrikosoff typically develops as a benign lesion of yet unclear histogenesis. It occurs rarely, mostly in adults, and is localised on the lateral aspect of the tongue, lips, gingiva, buccal mucosa, and in the pharynx and oesophagus. GCT tends to be a small, smooth, painless, elastic-firm mass which arises slowly and asymptomatically. Diagnosis is established based on histopathological examination. The present paper comprises a review of the literature on the subject and a brief report on four cases of lingual GCT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anaphylaxis is a severe, life-threatening systemic or generalized immediate hypersensitivity reaction. The incidence of anaphylaxis has increased significantly over the past 20 years. Foods are the most common cause of anaphylaxis. The paper discusses the epidemiology of food-induced anaphylaxis and pathomechanism with particular reference to the role of PAF (platelet-activating factor), its diagnosis and treatment according to international guidelines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]