Therapist: what the doctor treats and where the doctor sees

The section of medicine called “therapy” is aimed at studying, diagnosing, developing a system of conservative treatment, prevention and rehabilitation, studying the pathogenesis and etiology of various internal diseases and their clinical manifestations.
The field of therapy includes the study of diseases of the cardiovascular system, respiratory system, digestive tract, connective tissue, kidneys, liver, endocrine system, as well as infectious diseases. Accordingly, a therapist is a general practitioner whose competence includes studying the cause-and-effect relationship of the mechanisms of disease of internal organs and systems. He deals with their diagnosis, treatment, prevention and, if necessary, refers the person to a more specialized specialist, for example, a pulmonologist or cardiologist. The profession of a therapist is in great demand in the field of healthcare, since it is he who carries out the initial appointment and physical examination of the patient, and, based on the existing symptoms, determines which specialist should deal with this disease, including a surgical focus.

Areas of activity: what does a therapist do?

It is the therapist who is the “first line” of help to whom a person with alarming symptoms and suspicion of the presence of a disease goes. In the process of interaction with the patient, the doctor carries out a whole range of measures to help the patient.

Content:

Areas of activity: what does a therapist do?
Organs and parts of the body treated by therapists
What diseases does a general practitioner treat?
Who is a primary care physician and what does he do?
Consultation with a therapist for pregnant women
What symptoms should you consult a therapist for?
What examination and treatment methods does the therapist use?
Recommendations from therapists to strengthen the body’s overall resistance

First of all, the therapist begins to collect anamnesis, that is, conducts a survey and carefully studies the information obtained as a result in order to establish a general picture of the symptoms. The next stage of communication with the patient involves a physical examination, during which palpation and percussion of the organs of the thoracic and abdominal cavities, retroperitoneal space, auscultation of the lungs, heart and great vessels are carried out.

Additionally, the therapist prescribes laboratory and instrumental tests, for example, tests of blood, urine, feces and other biological materials, ECG, radiography, ultrasound. Analyzing the collected data, the doctor makes a decision about referring the patient to a specific specialist or prescribing general treatment measures.

It is the therapist who maintains the primary medical documentation - the patient’s outpatient record, which reflects the entire history of the disease, the diagnostic methods used and the prescribed treatment regimens, and also determines the degree of temporary disability and the need to open a sick leave. Mainly participates in medical examinations or medical examinations of the working and non-working population, issues various medical certificates, exemptions and conclusions in the medical record book.

The therapist’s area of competence also includes establishing the need for hospitalization of the patient already at the first stages of the examination.

Summary

The therapist, as a rule, is the doctor of first instance, who determines further treatment tactics and the necessary specialist to contact. Therefore, virtually all possible problems, except for acute surgical pathology, should be addressed through a therapist. Patients with all the symptoms of the disease can consult a doctor of this specialty, after which, even if the patient’s disease is a problem of a more highly specialized doctor, the patient will be referred to the appropriate specialist.

Organs and parts of the body treated by therapists

A general practitioner must understand a wide range of diseases and their manifestations. Dwelling on the diseases that fall within the competence of a general practitioner, we can highlight the following disruptions:

organs of the respiratory system;
heart and blood vessels;
kidney and urinary system;
endocrine system;
circulatory system;
joints and muscles;
connective tissues.

What diseases does a general practitioner treat?

Most diseases, if they do not require surgical intervention by a surgeon, can be diagnosed and observed by a therapist, for example:

heart failure, anemia, post-infarction conditions;
nephritis, cystitis, pyelonephritis;
initial stages of chronic kidney disease;
thyroid diseases, diabetes, metabolic disorders;
pancreatitis, gastritis, duodenitis, cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia and other destructive changes in the gastrointestinal tract;
arthrosis, arthritis, osteochondrosis, sprains, injuries and bruises;
pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchial asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases, pneumoconiosis;
ARVI and other respiratory infections of the upper respiratory tract;
connective tissue dysfunction.

In addition, the general practitioner diagnoses and studies the symptoms that accompany many diseases, namely:

drowsiness;
increased irritability;
chronic fatigue;
swelling;
depressive states;
sleep disorders;
febrile syndrome;
rashes on the body of unknown etiology;
headaches and pain syndromes without clear localization.

Appointment with a general practitioner in Vladivostok

After a preliminary diagnosis, the patient comes for a follow-up appointment, at which the doctor conducts:

Decoding, description and interpretation of electrocardiographic data;
Prescribes drug therapy, dietary therapy and health-improving regimen.

The therapists of the outpatient department of the Clinic on Komarova are doctors of the highest category. Their experience will allow you to deal with any patient’s problem. At the entire stage of treatment with different specialists, the therapist supervises the patient. This is very important because it allows you to see the picture of the disease as a whole, and the patient has the opportunity to receive complete information about the treatment process.

In the outpatient department of the Clinic on Komarova, you can conduct all the necessary tests: electrocardiography (ECG), echocardiography (ultrasound of the heart), laboratory tests. We have created all the conditions for a complete examination of patients.

Therapists work together with doctors: neurologists, endocrinologists, nutritionists, gastroenterologists and other specialists, establishing a diagnosis with subsequent treatment recommendations.

Who is a primary care physician and what does he do?

The local physician is a key link in the system of medical care for the population. This doctor takes a major part in the healing of the entire adult population living in a specific territory - an area that is assigned to him, and, for this reason, local therapists can be called family doctors, because they constantly interact with the same circle of people, are familiar with their living conditions, lifestyle, and previous illnesses. Thanks to this, the local therapist can more quickly and accurately predict the possible causes of certain diseases in a particular person.

The local doctor maintains dispensary records and observation of chronic patients, monitors the timely implementation of preventive measures, vaccinations, carries out primary diagnosis of the disease, prescribes and carries out rehabilitation and preventive measures. After the patient’s recovery, the patient’s condition and ability to work are assessed and he is given a certificate of incapacity for work or a certificate of exemption to be presented at his place of study or work.

When to contact

The therapist is the main specialist during preventive examinations. His regular visits make it possible to identify the disease at an early stage of its onset. The following problems may be the reason for an unscheduled visit to the doctor:

signs of colds;
low/high blood pressure;
increased body temperature;
chronic fatigue;
dizziness;
dyspnea;
nausea, diarrhea/constipation;
swelling, numbness of the limbs;
sudden weight loss or gain;
pain of different localization.

If these symptoms appear, we recommend that you immediately make an appointment with a specialist. The best therapists help you quickly get rid of health problems and prevent the development of more serious complications.

Consultation with a therapist for pregnant women

After the obstetrician-gynecologist, the second most important examination of pregnant women occurs with a therapist. As a general rule, consultation with this doctor occurs at least twice - when registering for pregnancy monitoring, and at the thirtieth week. A woman comes to an appointment with a doctor with ready-made blood tests, urine tests, a coagulogram, blood biochemistry, and she also first needs to undergo an electrocardiography procedure.

During the examination, the doctor collects information about past illnesses, examines medical documentation and test results: this way the doctor can determine the presence of any pathologies or dysfunctions of the body that are not related to the state of pregnancy. If any chronic diseases are detected that may pose a danger to the unborn child, the therapist may decide to hospitalize the woman in a hospital.

When examining a pregnant woman, the therapist must be very attentive to all manifestations indicating the possible presence of diseases or abnormalities in the functioning of organs and systems, because any health problems of the expectant mother can negatively affect the development of the fetus. Another feature of examination and treatment of pregnant women is that women in such a special situation are not allowed to take all medications, and some research methods, for example, radiography, are not recommended for use with them at all.

Various complications during pregnancy, such as anemia, hypertension, toxicosis, hypoxia, require systematic monitoring by a physician and the prescription of appropriate medications approved during pregnancy.

Does the therapist treat

A fairly wide range of diseases does not belong to the narrow specialization of any doctor. As a rule, these are infectious and fairly quickly curable flu, acute respiratory diseases, measles, whooping cough, etc. These are the ones treated by the therapist.

Despite the fact that the gastroenterologist treats the gastrointestinal tract, and the heart is treated by a cardiologist, the local physician must be able to diagnose these organs, recognize problems in the functioning of all body systems, and prescribe detailed tests to clarify the disease. In the case of such diagnoses, treatment is prescribed by a specialist. A general practitioner must monitor compliance with treatment if it occurs at home, and monitor the patient’s condition if he is registered with any of the doctors of a narrower specialization. It is the therapist who controls the overall picture, bringing information from the patient and doctors together for more accurate and effective treatment

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What symptoms should you consult a therapist for?

In the normal state of a person, the presence of some deviations is sometimes allowed, for example, a rare feeling of fatigue or the appearance of muscle pain after too intense physical activity. However, it is important to understand and distinguish those manifestations and sensations that may be signs of an incipient disease. So, the reasons for contacting a therapist are:

causeless weight loss;
chronic fatigue, which occurs constantly over a long period of time;
increased fatigue, when even the usual everyday stress causes rapid malaise;
pain of any localization;
tinnitus, unmotivated weakness, numbness of the limbs;
characteristic primary signs of diseases, for example, runny nose, sore throat during ARVI;
constant low-grade fever or sudden increase in temperature;
changes in the external characteristics of urine and feces;
decreased concentration and attention.

Other painful conditions, a feeling of heaviness, physical or mental discomfort are also indications for visiting a therapist. You can get an appointment and consultation with a doctor at a clinic or hospital. If the symptoms of the disease are accompanied by a very high temperature or a marked deterioration in health, a doctor is called to the home for an initial examination and decide whether the patient needs to be admitted to a hospital or remain at home for treatment.

Therapeutic treatment methods

Therapeutic treatment of diseases (sometimes called therapy for short) involves treatment without surgery. This type of treatment is based on the use of various groups of drugs. With the help of medications, the therapist influences:

etiology - the cause of the disease
pathogenesis – disease mechanism
symptoms – signs of the disease.

If there is a need for surgical treatment, the therapist seeks help from surgical specialists - an abdominal surgeon, cardiac surgeon, urologist.

Although the therapist must have some basic practical skills in these areas. He is obliged to competently perform a pleural puncture, puncture of large vessels and probing of the stomach. The therapist’s responsibilities also include providing assistance in cases of hypertensive crisis, cerebral stroke, myocardial infarction, and other emergency and life-threatening conditions.

What examination and treatment methods does the therapist use?

In addition to the initial examination and questioning of the patient, to make a diagnosis, the doctor must collect all objective information about the current state of the body. For this purpose, the therapist prescribes some laboratory tests. Based on the results of a general urine test, it is possible to determine the condition of the organs of the urinary system, as well as diseases of other organs and systems, manifested in the detection of certain elements in the urine sediment.

A general blood test shows the number of blood cells, from which one can conclude that there are inflammatory processes of a viral or bacterial nature in the body, as well as blood diseases, allergic reactions or suspicion of malignant processes.

Stool analysis can show the presence of pathogenic microflora, parasites or helminths.

The doctor may also prescribe a blood sugar test if diabetes is suspected.

In addition, therapists use other functional methods for diagnosing diseases:

ultrasonography;
radiography;
electrocardiogram;
fluorography;
CT scan;
digital mammography;
Magnetic resonance imaging;
other ways of examining the patient.

Further actions taken by the therapist consist of making a diagnosis, after which the doctor decides whether he can continue further treatment of the patient on his own, or whether it is necessary to refer the patient to a specialist. For example, when identifying ailments that require surgical intervention, the surgeon is directly involved in the treatment process and makes the decision to perform the operation.

The therapist does not prescribe surgical treatment methods; his competence includes the development of a conservative treatment plan with the prescription of appropriate medications in different forms - tablets, syrups, suspensions or solutions for intramuscular and intravenous administration. Also, if indicated, the doctor writes out a referral for physical therapy procedures, such as electrophoresis, magnetic therapy, ultrasound, quartz treatment, exercise therapy and massage.

As a preventative measure, the therapist can determine the order of adult vaccinations.

For patients who have undergone medical or surgical treatment, the doctor prescribes rehabilitation measures, including massage courses, special procedures, physical therapy, and also gives recommendations on limiting physical and work activity, creating a diet, sleep and rest.

Diagnostics

To assess the patient’s health status during a preventive medical examination, the therapist gives a referral to:

general blood analysis;
blood sugar test;
general urine analysis;
ECG;
fluorography.

If any abnormalities are detected and to diagnose the disease, the therapist can refer the patient to undergo:

biochemical blood test;
blood tests for rheumatic tests;
analysis for various types of hepatitis;
urine analysis according to Nechiporenko;
allergen analysis;
analysis for latent infections using PCR;
analysis for sexually transmitted diseases.

Also prescribed:

Ultrasound;
CT;
MRI;
radiography;
cardio stress tests;
rheoencephalography (REG)
echocardiography (ECHO-CG);
echoencephalography (ECHO-EG);
Holter ECG monitoring;
endoscopic studies.

Where can I get advice?

A therapist is a doctor who sees patients in almost any medical institution. You can get a consultation with such a doctor at a regular public clinic. Naturally, private medical centers are also capable of providing a similar service. You can also consult with a specialist in large public clinical hospitals. There, the patient will be seen by a highly qualified therapist who can solve almost any medical problem.

Work in a hospital

Currently, one of the most common department profiles in various types of hospitals is therapy. Patients with pathologies that do not require specialized intervention are treated here. In this department, a more serious therapeutic effect on a person is carried out than the clinic can offer. The therapist will provide assistance with pneumonia, chronic bronchitis, coronary heart disease, hypertensive crisis, which is a complication of arterial hypertension, pyelonephritis, gastritis, ulcers without bleeding, as well as many other diseases.

Therapeutic departments in hospitals should ideally be filled with patients as planned. That is, the most rational here is the treatment of patients with chronic compensated or subcompensated pathology. Decompensated conditions are best treated in specialized departments.

Appointment with a therapist: when to make an appointment and what to expect