Four Types of Medical Specialists To See and Why
Not every doctor is the same—and not just in terms of skill and training. Many doctors choose to expand their knowledge to cover a specific range of health issues and treatments. Some add on to their already prodigious four years of medical school and time in residency to explore medicine regarding a particular set of conditions, symptoms, or patients. Hopefully, you’ll never need to see a specialist for a specific condition or ailment, but it’s good to know there’s someone out there to provide care if you do. Here are four types of medical specialists to see and why.
Primary Care Physicians
This general-purpose label may not sound like a specialty, but it can be broken down into two types of specific doctors who specialize either in family practice or internal care. As the title implies, a family practice physician serves as a physician to an entire family. They address simple issues, prescribe treatment and medicine, and are available to answer questions about your health. Internal care physicians, on the other hand, are restricted to treating adults and can also offer a subspecialty or two. Primary care physicians are the first doctors you should see before seeking a specialist.
Pediatricians
Pediatricians take care of babies, young children, teenagers, and young adults. These specialists have extra training and experience in dealing with the problems and challenges of childhood development, disease, injuries, and preventative medicine. Take your child to see a pediatrician for regularly scheduled check-ups and vaccinations. Take them to physicals for school and any general complaints.
Neurologists
The third of the four types of medical specialists to see and why are neurologists. Neurologists are primarily concerned with conditions, diseases, and issues that affect the nervous system, spine, and brain. Your primary care physician might ask for a consultation with a neurologist if you exhibit behavior or physical symptoms that can’t be explained by temporary issues like side effects from medication or stress. Neurologists are also seen by people experiencing motor skill troubles, dementia, strokes, severe migraines, and diseases such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Emergency Medicine
If you ever make a trip to the emergency room, you’ll receive treatment from a doctor specializing in emergency medicine. ER doctors need to react and offer care swiftly and surely, concentrating on keeping a patient who has suffered severe trauma alive while preventing further damage that can affect the quality of their life. Keeping a patient breathing, stopping their bleeding, and caring for their wounds are all skills used by emergency medicine specialists.
