Who does not need an internal medicine practitioner? Few people have chronic diseases and think it is best to approach a primary care physician. But is that the right move towards healing and coming out of unbearable pain? Bet not!
What is more important for them is awareness and basic knowledge, right?
For that, we have shared the answers to the most frequently asked questions.
Who is an Internal Medicine Practitioner?
As most of us know, doctors and physicians are categorized into several boxes. One of them is an internal medicine practitioner who deals with the “internal health of the human body.” This means this practitioner takes care of the organs that we can’t see with the naked eye, such as the heart, kidneys, liver, and colon.
It goes without saying that internal organs’ health is checked by apparent occurrences or symptoms, and internal medicine specialists work on those. Again, let’s understand it with an example. If your heart is not healthy, it shows signs of heart attacks. If it is the excessive amount of white blood cells in an organ, it comes out as cancer. So, here at this point, it is important to say that Internal medicine doctor specialty matters a lot for the patient.
What is the Procedure to Diagnose Illness as an Internal Medicine Doctor?
A good and highly experienced internal medicine doctor never takes symptoms superficially. He always takes a deep dive into the symptoms, after which diagnoses are made. Yes, he is the one who has in-depth knowledge about handling patients – the reason why every patient is treated differently.
However, there are only four ways through which they make the diagnosis. Let’s explore them…
Wellness Screening
So, this is the first procedure that helps an internal medicine practitioner diagnose illness. What does he do in this procedure? He takes care of the following areas;
- Take blood and urine samples.
- Check the patient’s cholesterol levels and blood pressure.
Wellness screening doesn’t involve hours of waiting to take samples. It is easily done if the appointment is taken before coming to the hospital or clinic. If you are looking for primary care near Coachella, Indus Medical Associates is the best in town. So, yeah! The wellness procedure involves taking samples for the patient’s best health. Not only that, all these tests and lab work are done to draw the best diagnosis.
Symptom Documentation
The second method of diagnosis for internal medicine is to document all the patient's symptoms. It is done in several ways. For example, asking questions like;
- Since when are you noticing the symptoms?
- Do symptoms cause pain or discomfort?
- How does it feel when you drink water, pee, etc.?
Symptoms are the best way to trace any illness, but they are not the only way to handle a diagnosis. So, it is always better to go with the following:
- Medical history of the patient
- Current usage of medicines
- Medicines taken in the past
Other Miscellaneous Testing Procedures
Here is the third option: go with the flow and see what is needed to diagnose the illness accurately. It is important to understand that internal medicine is an umbrella term, and a lot comes under the expansion of the area. So, if a patient comes with certain symptoms and concerns, the internal medicine specialist offers the best diagnosis. Here, professionals like gastrologists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, etc. come into play. Each specialist takes notes of the symptoms, etc., in their own domain. They pick and choose the right testing method to draw a fine line for the illness. Internal medicine doctor specialty is to take care of all four procedures to come up with the best diagnosis.
Physical Examination
What's next? Well, the fourth method to diagnose an illness is to go with a physical checkup. However, it is considered a part of the diagnosis and can't be taken as the only way to make the prognosis. It is because internal medicine doctors find everything malfunctioning inside the body. But in some cases (especially when patients are elders), this method works fine. For example, when a doctor finds lumps in the muscle, he knows it is most likely a sign of cancer.
Tests and Methods of Internal Medicine
So, up till now, we have understood quite a little basic knowledge. With that, we are moving on to other tests and methods of internal medicine.
What you should know now?
- Not all tests and methods are used for diagnosis. Sometimes when the diagnosis is made, and you as a Medical subspecialist needs to reassess the condition, certain lab work is carried out.
- Other than diagnosis and reevaluation, these methods are applied to understand and cope with preventive measures, how to monitor patients after recovery, etc. If you are baffled as to why tests are done after treatment and all, let us tell you it is because internal medicine doctors don't want to leave any trace of illness behind.
Internal Medicine Doctor's Skills to Treat a Patient
All those who treat a human body or mind need degrees and certificates, right? But yes, when it comes to treatments, diagnosis, etc., as an internal medicine practitioner, it means the doctor should have additional training to get a specialist's certificate. It helps in being the best medical subspecialists.
What are the Subspecialties of Internal Medicine Doctors?
So: What are medical subspecialists?
Internal medicine physicians or practitioners know about several diseases holistically. However, when they choose to have specialty in sub-specializations, patients address and recognize them as cardiologist, etc.
What is included in medical subspecialists?
Here is the list based on The American Board of Internal Medicine.
Hematology: Internal medicine doctors look for symptoms, diagnoses, etc., of blood.
Diabetes, Metabolism, and Endocrinology: Diabetes and disorders in the glandular or metabolism.
Infectious Diseases: All those infections that come from bacteria, viruses, fungi, and insects.
Cardiovascular Diseases: Diseases associated with vascular or/and heart. It includes cardiac electrophysiology, transplant cardiology, adult congenital diseases, and interventional cardiology.
Gastroenterology: It consists of the gall bladder, gastrointestinal system, and liver. Also, transplant hepatology.
Oncology: All sorts of cancers are categorized in oncology.
Rheumatology: Joints and systems related to musculoskeletal.
Nephrology: Diseases because of the kidney.
Pulmonary Diseases: Respiratory as well as lungs.
Here is the list based on American Board of Internal Medicine in association with other boards:
Sleep Medicine: Anything and everything related to disturbance in sleep and the disorders aligned with sleep.
Geriatric Medicine: It is particularly for the elderly (mostly above 60 years of age).
Sports Medicine: Exercises and healing after sports injuries.
Adolescent Medicine: Teenagers and adolescent health care.
Critical Care: Patient's care in the ICU (intensive care units).
Neurocritical Care: Diseases and conditions in the nervous system.
Immunology & Allergy: diseases because of the immune system.
Palliative & Hospice Medicine: care for those who are battling serious illnesses.
NOTE: All these medical specialties are carried out by an internal medicine specialist.
Conclusion: Ways to Stay Away from Internists
Answer: Every life-threatening illness is different from other diseases or illnesses. So, you can't just say that every diagnosis is the same for all. However, yes. We can always pick five core values to make our health better than before, especially when we are not hit by the shock of any disease.
How to Maintain a Healthy Lifestyle Without an Internist in Life
Regular Exercise and Walk: A healthy mind function well in life. Walking and exercising are things that constitute the maintenance of a healthy body. We can say that because of two main reasons. First, it releases certain hormones that allow you to live a happy and long life. Second, it keeps you away from health concerns.
Catharsis and Meditation: Catharsis is so very important, talking it out to someone, letting them understand your worries, and looking for best and most rational solution is one of the ways to live long and a healthy life. Likewise, meditation and other breathing exercises keeps you focused and motivated. Remember, it is all about how you eliminate worries. Also, remember – worries are the causes of mental illnesses.
Healthy Intake of Food and Drinks: Healthy food means no junk food, home-cooked meals with simple water or drinks that are not categorized as frizzy colas and sodas. Keeping yourself away from alcohol consumption is always appreciated. Smoking is obviously not healthy and can cause diseases.
Sleeping Routine and Habits: To stay fresh and away from chronic or non-chronic diseases, it is best to maintain a good sleep pattern. It is best to pick a time to go to sleep and a fixed time to wake up. It helps create more harmony in life. So, what happens when you maintain a sleep routine? It keeps your body systems easy and away from diseases, etc.
Takeaways from the Blog
Internists are different from primary care physicians, which is the main takeaway of the blog. However, the blog discusses the subspecialties of internists, their responsibilities and duties, procedures to ensure accurate diagnosis, and the types of diseases handled by internists with examples.