Who Is An Internal Medicine Doctor?

Who Is An Internal Medicine Doctor?

An internal medicine doctor is also referred to as an internist. Internists are sometimes confused with interns but this is an incorrect assumption. An intern is a doctor-in-training who is learning under a mentor but an internal medicine doc is one who is considered an expert in his or her field. They are superbly trained in diagnosing, treating and preventing diseases in adults. They combine treatment of patients with research. They are in fact so knowledgeable that many other health care practitioners come to them for advice.

Many physicians are internists and their patients may not even be aware of this. Some examples are MD specialists who focus on cardiology, gerontology, Nephrology, oncology, pulmonology, rheumatology, sports injuries, and infectious diseases. In order to become a specialist in one of these fields, a doctor must take another series of training and education courses that may add years to his or her schooling.

Those who focus on cardiac issues are practitioners of the heart and all items connected. Blood pressure problems, vein or arterial maladies such as those that are clogged from high fat diets or stressful lifestyles, heart attack victims and stroke sufferers may all be seen by cardiologists.

The population is aging to a greater degree. Increased longevity is due to lifestyle, advances in modern medicine and more baby boomers coming up into their golden years. With the increase in elderly patients, internists who focus on geriatrics are in high demand. With proper medical care, these elders can enjoy life far into their golden years.

Oncology is the study of cancer. Any body part can become afflicted with cancerous tumors and growths. These practitioners are skilled at developing proper treatment plans. These plans can consist of chemotherapy, radiation or surgical intervention. More patients are becoming survivors with new healthcare expertise.

Pulmonologists take care of lungs and breathing systems. Chronic asthma, bronchitis and more can be tended to by these docs. Nephrologists address the human kidneys which is an important component of health, indeed. Without proper kidney function, toxins can invade the body and shut it down in toxicity.

Rheumatoid arthritis is on the rise and can affect many individuals in the form of painful, swollen joints. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis have a lot of sufferers who seek help. Medication, physical therapy and surgery can alleviate some discomfort and return mobility.

When athletes become injured, it often takes a sports medicine specialist to heal them. It also takes an expert in this arena to point out how to avoid another similar injury in the future. Sports can be advantageous to health but accidents and injuries happen.

With the widespread development of new germs, many infectious diseases can get out of hand without an arsenal of medication to knock them out. It may take an internist who concentrates on super-germs to combat them effectively.

If a patient has a problem with their heart, lungs, kidneys, arthritis, infectious disease, athletic injury or is getting advanced in age, he or she may want to make an appointment with an internal medicine doctor. These specialists can help in a multitude of ways.