Excerpted from "A Year of Health Hints"
365 Practical Ways to Feel Better and Live Longer
Internists, family doctors and pediatricians are
examples of primary care doctors. They give general medical care.
If you are a member of a Health Maintenance Organization (HMO),
your primary care doctor is the doctor you select from the HMO
plan to be the "gatekeeper" of all your medical needs.
This person could be a family doctor, internist,
obstetrician/gynecologist, etc. Whether or not you belong to an
HMO, call or see your primary care doctor before you see a
specialist. If your primary care doctor cannot take care of your
health problem, he or she will refer to a specialist.
Doctors and Their
Specialties.
The most common specialists and what they do are:
Allergist - Diagnoses and treats
allergies
Anesthiologist - Administers anesthetics that
are used during surgery
Cardiologist - Diagnoses and treats problems of
the heart and blood vessels
Dermatologist - Diagnoses and treats diseases
and problems of the skin
Emergency Medicine - Specializes in rapid
recognition and treatment of trauma or acute illness
Endocrinologist - Diagnoses disorders of
internal glands such as the thyroid and adrenal glands
Family practitioner - Provides total health care
of the individual and the family. Scope is not limited by age,
gender or organ system
Gastroenterologist - Diagnoses and treats
disorders of the digestive tract: stomach, bowels, liver,
gallbladder and related organs
Gynecologist - Diagnoses and treats disorders,
of the female reproductive system
Internist - Diagnoses and treats diseases,
especially those of adults
Nephrologist - Diagnoses and treats disorders of
the nervous system.
Obstetrician - Provides care and treatment of
females during pregnancy, labor, and delivery, and six weeks
after delivery
Oncologist - Diagnoses and treats all types of
cancer and other types of benign and malignant tumors
Ophthalmologist - Diagnoses, monitors and treats
vision problems and other disorders of the eye, and prescribes
prescription lenses
Orthopedist - Diagnoses and treats skeletal
injuries and diseases of the bones and muscles
Otolaryngologist - Diagnoses and treats
disorders that affect the ears, respiratory and upper alimentary
systems (in general, the head and neck)
Pathologist - Examines and diagnoses organs,
tissues and body fluids
Pediatrician - Diagnoses and treats the
physical, emotional and social problems of children
Physiatrist - Provides physical and
rehabilitative treatment fo muscle and bone disorders
Psychiatrist - Treats and prevents mental,
emotional and/or behavioral disorders
Radiologist - Uses X-rays and radiant energy for
diagnosis and treatment of disease
Urologist - Diagnoses and treats diseases of the
urinary tract or urogenital tract