What is the difference between an internal medicine doctor and a GP?

The core difference between the two is that internal medicine doctors primarily offer consultation to adults only, while GPs offer treatment for the whole family, from infants to seniors.

Can an internal medicine doctor prescribe diagnostic scans and tests?

Yes, internal medicine doctors are qualified to prescribe screening and diagnostic tests to elucidate symptoms and signs.

What disciplines of medicine does internal medicine deal with?

Among the many sub-specialties of internal medicine include rheumatology, cardiology, oncology, endocrinology, and immunology.

When should I consult an internal medicine doctor?

You should consult an internal medicine doctor in Dubai if you experience any generic symptoms such as fatigue, nausea, fever, myalgia, and breathlessness without any apparent cause.

Do internists also perform minor surgical procedures?

No, internal medicine doctors solely offer consultation and perform general outpatient diagnosis and prescription.

Consult our Internal Medicine Specialists for Multifaceted Medical Care

Internal medicine is a unique medical field. Taken at face value, the name might imply that a specialist in this field merely treats ailments that affect the internal organs. In practice, however, the scope of an internal medicine doctor (or internist, as they are also known) extends far beyond this initial definition.

In a broad sense, internal medicine is an umbrella term for a set of subspecialties that deal with conditions that impact the body’s internal physiology systems. Internists can provide a general perspective for all-around consultation not limited to the expertise of any one sub-specialty. This enables a holistic consultation process that can assist in effective recovery, in line with the type of care a general practitioner might provide.

Some other distinguishing factors of internal medicine specialists include:

They only provide consultation and are not surgeons. If surgery is required, you may be referred to a specialist surgeon for your treatment.
Internists provide consultation for adult individuals.

Since internists provide such a wide range of treatment and consultation, they are often the first point of contact for an individual in the disease diagnosis process. At any given time, an internist may be juggling multiple medical cases across various specialties of medicine. For instance, an internal medicine doctor can provide effective consultation for asthma treatment, gastrointestinal issues, and other chronic ailments.

Internal medicine doctors are particularly well-versed in diagnosing and treating conditions with symptoms that are not indicative of any specific disease on their own. In this preliminary stage of symptom identification, an internal medicine specialist can provide clarity on the root causes of your ambiguous symptoms, prescribe specific diagnostic tests, and eventually narrow it down to a distinct disease or condition. Some of the more common symptoms that an internal medicine doctor typically diagnoses are:

Nausea: Nausea, vomiting, and uneasiness can be potential symptoms of multiple disorders across different organ symptoms.
Chest pain: A sense of discomfort in the chest can indicate diseases such as angina pectoris or heartburn. They are linked to separate organs (the heart and stomach).
Breathlessness: Shortness of breath can be a telltale sign of various conditions, such as bronchitis and heart attacks. An internal medicine specialist can help with medical procedures like asthma treatment in this regard.

In the GCC region, you can find the best internal medicine doctors in Dubai, who can provide holistic treatment across diverse sub-specializations of medicine such as gastroenterology, cardiology, nephrology, and even more niche medical fields like geriatric medicine.

Via the myAster portal, you can view and browse internal medicine doctors for consultation, including their specific areas of expertise. The portal enables filtered searching, with parameters such as languages spoken. You can schedule video consultations with them directly for your complete convenience. However, before visiting an internal medicine doctor in Dubai for consultation, it is important to take stock of any symptoms you may be experiencing, as this will assist your internist in their initial survey and diagnosis.

When should I see an internal medicine doctor in Dubai?

In most cases, you will be referred to an internal medicine doctor in tandem with your general practitioner’s consultation, if required. For instance, an internist can co-advise on complicated cases of asthma treatment and provide further medical insight on alleviating the symptoms it causes.

In terms of symptoms and telltale signs, the rule of thumb is that an internal medicine doctor can help narrow down general symptoms and pinpoint them to root causes. Therefore, the reasons to visit one of the best internal medicine doctors in Dubai are often in a similar vein to those of a primary care physician.

The specific contexts that require the attention of an internist are multifold. For quick reference, here are a few common instances of medical ailments that an internist can help treat:

Flu-related symptoms: Seasonal allergies can be unresponsive to conventional medication and treatment at times, leading to a feeling of general illness. In such cases, consulting an internist can provide a unique perspective on a way forward for effective treatment.
Recurring treatments: Internal medicine doctors are often consulted during recovery from chronic conditions like diabetes and asthma treatment. Internists can closely monitor your physiological response to various treatments and suggest alternatives accordingly.
Immunizations: In some instances, vaccination may be required to safeguard against a particular disease. An internal medicine doctor can advise on the potential feasibility of getting the immunization and mitigate side effects from a medical perspective.
Identifying health concerns: When you experience recurring symptoms with no apparent cause, an internal medicine specialist can identify the causative factor and prescribe treatment based on their diagnosis.

The myAster application allows users to access the best internal medicine doctors in Dubai from one interface. Through its intuitive features, you can view a custom list of internists across our network in the GCC region based on your specific preferences. The option of video consultation further adds to myAster’s convenience factor.

Common Procedures and Treatments

As mentioned above, internal medicine doctors only provide consultation and do not perform surgical procedures. Since there are diverse sub-fields within internal medicine, the nature of the treatments offered will vary depending on the expertise of the specific internist. Some of the common procedures and treatments offered by the best internal medicine doctors in Dubai include:

Obesity treatment: Obesity is a complex physiological ailment that could have multiple causative factors, such as diet, lifestyle, and genetic components. Internal medicine doctors can offer a holistic diagnosis of obesity cases and prescribe a dedicated recovery regimen.
Disease screening: In some cases, consulting an internist can be a conduit to getting a prescription for screening potential diseases such as cancer and genetic disorders. Post the screening process, you will have follow-up appointments with your internal medicine doctors.
Hypertension management: Much like obesity, hypertension is a complex condition that currently has no known cure. However, with the prescription and guidance of an internal medicine specialist, you can gain valuable medical insights into coping with the condition and alleviating its repercussions on daily life.
Preventive healthcare: Internal medicine specialists can prescribe specific immunizations and vaccine programs to safeguard against outbreaks of diseases as and when they occur. These vaccinations are administered under the full supervision of your internist.

The myAster application provides seamless access to users seeking the best internal doctors in Dubai and surrounding regions. View and filter ideal doctors for future consultations, and request video consultations for follow-up appointments, all through one portal: myAster.