What is Adult Medicine? Basics of Internal Medicine Explained

It is a common urge for people to see a specialist for a treatment strategy. However, there is a primary healthcare setup that is dedicated just to helping patients with their diagnosis, treatment, management, and prevention, without the need of a secondary healthcare provider. This primary setup consists of adult, internal, and general family medicine to render your medical assistance, that may eradicate the need to visit a specialist completely.

WHAT DO YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT ADULT MEDICINE?

Adult medicine includes the practice of medicine on adults above age 18. The healthcare providers that are trained in adult medicine possess an in-depth knowledge of diseases that are common in adults. However, their practice is more prevention-oriented which is evident in the services that they provide.

WHAT SERVICES DOES ADULT MEDICINE PROVIDE?

The services of an adult medicine doctor include the most basic aspects of general medicine. While they are skilled in diagnosing and treating common medical conditions, they concentrate mostly on providing primary preventive care to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Generally, the following are the services that an adult medicine physician provides:

• Performing general physical exams
• Giving flu shots
• Monitoring of chronic diseases
• Referring to specialists
• Management of men and women-specific health concerns.

WHY SHOULD YOU OPT FOR ADULT MEDICINE?

If you wish to live a healthier lifestyle and to be constantly aware of your health status, we recommend visiting an adult doctor frequently. Since these physicians are proficient to provide preventive care and monitor the physiological status, they’ll provide you a thorough insight into a prospective onset of any acute or chronic disease.

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT INTERNAL MEDICINE?

Internal medicine deals with the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of a variety of medical conditions in adults over age 18. The specialized practitioners are skilled in primary healthcare, general health status evaluation, and treatment of complex diseases and disorders. In addition, they also provide preventive measures for potential diseases in patients with prospective risk factors.

Internists take up internal medicine as their medical specialty and are required to complete a three-year residency program before they could commence their internal medicine practice. However, some internists may also take up additional training in subspecialties such as neurology, cardiology, oncology, endocrinology, and other related medical fields.

Since internists work in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Including patients hospitalized in intensive and critical units, they are much experienced to treat complex medical diseases and disorders. Moreover, they possess profound knowledge regarding a broad spectrum of adult diseases, irrespective of their stage of progression.

WHAT DO INTERNISTS DEAL WITH?

There is an array of illnesses that internists treat and treatments and services that they provide to the community. Their practice is not limit to gender or organ and organ system. From simple diseases like cold, flu, and allergies to complex medical conditions related to cardiovascular, respiratory, neurology, gastrointestinal, and other major body organ systems – an internist function as the bridge between the patient and a specialist. They are the first primary healthcare doorway, you must see before you make an appointment with a specialist (for instance, a cardiologist for an angina attack)

In addition, as far as the treatment strategies are concerned, internal medicine physicians provide both medical and non-medical treatment for the short-term and long-term management of a wide spectrum of medical ailments.  Be it simple flu shots, topical medications, or prescriptions for managing conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, or high cholesterol levels. The internists are focused to provide a comprehensive treatment plan.

Apart from managing diseases and prescribing medicinal treatments, internists also perform a variety of procedures such as,

• Performing minor procedures such as draining the abscess, repairing lacerations, removing foreign particles from the body, and simple fracture cure.
• Performing routine diagnostic procedures such as gynecological testing, proctoscopy, colonoscopy, and endoscopies.
• Administering nerve blocks and joint infections.
• Performing skin biopsy

However, the most important service by an internist is the long-term management and prevention of chronic diseases. They do so, by evaluating your medical records (including past medical, medicinal, and family history). To evaluate the risk of any chronic disease or worsening of the existing co-morbidity. An internist could also recommend screening lab tests for a better understanding diagnosis of a disease.

WHY INTERNISTS MAY BE THE RIGHT DOCTOR FOR YOU?

It is due to their extensive services. that an internist is an impeccable choice for people who are at risk of any chronic disease, already suffer from one, alike. They are and should be the first choice for people who have either received an alarming prognosis and even those who wish to lead a healthy life.

INTERNAL MEDICINE VS ADULT MEDICINE; IS IT ONE AND THE SAME

If you wonder the difference between internal medicine and adult medicine, they are similar, yet they differ in one way or the other. Both adult medicine practitioners and internists cater to adult patients or those who are over the age of 18. However, they differ in the nature of their medical practice as adult doctors provide simple healthcare and preventive measures, while internist is focus on a much more comprehensive treatment of complex diseases and co-morbidities.

FAMILY MEDICINE; A PRIMARY CARE ALTERNATIVE

Family medicine is a branch of medical specialty that offers primary care to the entire family. However, It differs from other specialties that target either a particular patient population (i.e. pediatrics, OB/GYN) or a specific organ system (i.e. urologist, cardiologist). The educational and practical training of a family physician includes the treatment or management of all kinds of diseases and disorders that might affect all members of a family, regardless of their age.

FROM ILLNESS TO TREATMENTS; WHAT DO FAMILY MEDICINE OFFER?

The treatment and services that a family practitioner provides are more or less the same as those exhibited by an internist. However, unlike the latter, they can treat patients from all age groups. You may visit your family practitioner for vaccination shots. For treatment of routine ailments such as cough, cold, flu, and allergies, along with more complex diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, asthma, ulcers, and others.

WHY SHOULD YOU CONSIDER A FAMILY PHYSICIAN?

Since general family physicians are an efficient first step to primary healthcare not just for you. But for your entire family. Since they tend to all age groups, you may as well see them for a routine checkup or a detailed assessment of your health. On the other hand, if you belong to a family. The entire household unit can visit a family physician for added convenience.

FAMILY PHYSICIAN VS INTERNAL MEDICINE PHYSICIAN: CLEAR THE DOUBT

It is okay if you are confuse between the two medical specialties. Since both family medicine and internal medicine seem quite similar. While the key difference between the two is their patient demographic. However, they do differ slightly more in expertise. While a family practitioner is well-verse for the treatment. Management, and prevention of diseases for all age groups. An internist has a broader understanding and training to render services in the same departments.

WHY SHOULD YOU CHOOSE US?

So whether you are recently diagnosed with a disease, or are aiming for their prevention, the internal medicine doctors at NOIP are at your service, to help you live a long, healthy life.