Internal Medicine Doctor in Reston,VA
Internal Medicine Doctors, or Internists, can also be considered “primary care doctors,” since they can be your medical touchstone whom you visit first for any medical ailments and diagnoses. However, internists will only treat patients 18 years of age or older, so you must fall into that age range.
Internists can treat a number of general illnesses, including the following:
- Influenza
- Bacterial infections
- Viruses
- Anxiety
- Muscle sprains and strains
- Skin rashes
Internists study the typical coursework of a general practice doctor during residency, including physical, mental, and emotional human health traits, and the body's biology. During residency, there is classroom time, time spent in medical offices and hospitals, as well as time spent working directly with patients and medical professionals. But at some point, an internist must reach that fork in the road where they decide if they want to do the Medical Doctor (MD) residency program, or the Osteopathic Doctor (DO) residency program. The MD residency program focuses on allopathic, or conventional medicine, where they believe the body is a series of separately functioning systems, whereas the DO residency program teaches a more holistic approach to medicine, considering the body as a whole system.
Beyond their first three years of residency, some doctors will go right into practice as an internist, whereas others will choose a sub-specialty and complete a fellowship, which requires an addition two to four years of training.
Internal Medicine Sub-Specialties
There are 11 sub-specialties of internal medicine doctors, which are as follows:
- Pulmonologist: These are lung doctors who focus on issues such as asthma, emphysema and chronic bronchitis (also know as COPD or Cardiopulmonary Disease). They also explore sleep apnea, since sleep problems can affect your breathing.
- Endocrinologist : These doctors specialize in helping patients with diabetes , hormone, and thyroid conditions , such as hypothyroidism or hyperthyroidism .
- Nephrologist: These doctors specialist in helping patients with kidney damage or kidney failure. If a patient needs dialysis, this is the doctor who would administer that.
- Cardiologist: A doctor specializing in heart and blood vessels as well as Congestive Heart Failure (CHF).
- Gastroenterologist: Also referred to as GI Doctors, gastroenterologists specialize in treating the esophagus, stomach, small and largest intestines, the pancreas and the liver. They treat everything from acid reflux to irritable bowel syndrome.
- Hepatologist: These doctors focus specifically on the liver, especially for patients with Hepatitis A, B, or C.
- Hematologist/Oncologist: Patients who have a blood disorder-anemia, leukemia-or a form of cancer such as breast, lung, or colon would see this type of doctor. These doctors would administer the chemotherapy in the event of a cancer diagnosis, but would not perform the actual surgery to remove a cancerous tumor.
- Rheumatologist: Autoimmune deficiency diseases are this doctor's area of specialty. This can range from rheumatoid arthritis and lupus to mitochondrial disease .
- Allergy/Immunology - Patients with allergies see an allergist to receive shots making their bodies less reactive to the substances that affect them. People can be allergic to anything from pollen to mold, nuts, or shellfish. They also treat immune deficiency conditions, which means the body's immune system is not functioning within a normal range.
- Infectious Disease: These specialists treat chronic and severe infections, including but not limited to HIV/AIDs, bone infections, and skin infections.
- Geriatrics: These doctors specialize in treating elderly patients age 80 and above, who have their own unique needs. They also specialize in helping patients with dementia (Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia).
Request more information about internal medicine doctors today. Call (703) 822-5003 or contact Proactive Wellness Center online.
Proactive Wellness Center
Address
8229 Boone BlvdSuite 280
Vienna, VA 22182
(703) 822-5003
www.proactivwellnesscenters.com
Hours
Mon:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tue:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wed:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thu:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fri:
10:00 am - 5:00 pm