Internal Medicine
Internal medicine is the branch and specialty of medicine concerning the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment and diseases in adults. Doctors of internal medicine focus on adult medicine and have had special study and training focusing on the prevention and treatment of adult diseases. At least three of their seven years of medical school and postgraduate training are dedicated to learning how to prevent, diagnose, and treat diseases that affect adults. Internists are sometimes referred to as the “doctor’s doctor,” because they are often called upon to act as consultants to other physicians to help solve puzzling diagnostic problems.
What’s an “internist”?
Simply put, internists are Doctors of Internal Medicine, Doctors for Adults. But you may see them referred to by several other terms, including “internists,” “general internists” and “doctors of internal medicine”.
Caring for the whole patient.
Internists are equipped to deal with whatever problem a patient brings no matter how common or rare, or how simple or complex. They are specially trained to solve puzzling diagnostic problems and can handle severe chronic illnesses and situations where several different illnesses may strike at the same time. They also bring to patients an understanding of wellness (disease prevention and the promotion of health), women’s health, substance abuse, mental health, as well as effective treatment of common problems of the eyes, ears, skin, nervous system and reproductive organs.
Caring for you for Life
In today’s complex medical environment, internists take pride in caring for their patients for life in the office or clinic, during hospitalization and intensive care.
Internal medicine training includes broad areas of medicine such as:
Dealing with disorders of the heart and blood vessels (Chest Pain, Palpitations, High Blood Pressure, Heart Diseases, Arrhythmias, Leg Swelling, etc).
Dealing with disorders of the endocrine system and its specific secretions called hormones (Diabetes, Thyroid Diseases, Weight Problems, Osteoporosis, etc).
Dealing with the field of digestive diseases (Abdominal Pain, Heartburn, Stomach Ulcers, Hepatitis, Diarrhea, Bleeding, Constipation, etc).
Dealing with blood, the blood-forming organs and its disorders (Anemia, Leukemia, Bleeding Disorders, etc).
Dealing with disease caused by biological agents such as viruses, bacteria or parasites (Diarrhea, Cough, HIV, Urinary Tract Infection, Sexualy Transmitted Diseases, etc).
Dealing with the study and treatment of cancer.
Dealing with the study of the function and diseases of the kidney.
Dealing with diseases of the lungs and the respiratory tract (Sinusitis, Allergies, Cough, Bronchitis, Asthma, Pneumonia, Shortness Of Breath, etc).
Dealing with diseases of muscles and/or joints. (Knee, Ankle, Shoulder and Wrist Pain, Back Pain, Sprains, Strains, Tears, Arthritis, etc).
