Your primary care physician (PCP) is your first point of contact if you’re feeling sick, experiencing unexplained pain, or having unusual health symptoms. With so many types of doctors out there, you may not know whether you should go ahead and make an educated decision about seeing a specialist who your friend recommends, or whether you should see your primary doctor.
Primary care providers regularly provide referrals to patients who need to see a specific type of healthcare specialist. Your primary care doctor will refer you to a specialist if you have symptoms of a condition that warrants deeper investigation.
However, your primary care doctor can indeed diagnose, treat, and help manage a wide array of health conditions, all while also coordinating your care with other specialists. Your specialist will ask you for the name of your primary care provider, because specialists know that general practitioners maintain each patient’s overall health files.
Let’s talk about some of the things that a primary care provider does, and how you can benefit from having this doctor as your main healthcare partner.
Reasons to See a Primary Care Doctor
Primary care doctors focus on building trusting relationships with their patients. These doctors can make sure that one specialist doesn’t inadvertently prescribe you a medication that has contraindications with another medicine you are taking, so that your treatments don’t cancel each other out – or worse, that they cause harm to your body when taken together.
Here are just a few of the reasons to seek treatment from your primary care doctor:
Urgent Medical Issues
Primary care physicians can treat urgent health issues such as a cold, flu, fever, sudden pain, insect bites, rash, and allergies. From everyday pains to complex diseases, your primary doctor is able to make a diagnosis, prescribe treatment, and provide advice about maintaining or improving your health.
Chronic Diseases
Primary care physicians not only provide treatment for acute health issues but also help with disease prevention and management. The annual physical is a way for them to detect any changes in your health that may indicate a progression of an underlying condition.
Digestive Issues
Digestive problems such as acid reflux and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) are also treated by primary care doctors. You may not even need to be referred to a specialist, as your doctor can help you prevent and manage the symptoms. Treatment may include antacids and lifestyle modifications, such as eating dinner earlier in the evenings.
Pain
A primary doctor can also help with pain alleviation in patients who are dealing with cancer, osteoarthritis, diabetes, or the effects of a prior injury. Pain management techniques may include steroid injections, prescription medication, and physical therapy.
Primary Care Doctor in Dallas-Fort Worth
Here at Star Medical Associates, we provide comprehensive primary healthcare and treatment to adult patients in DFW. Headed by board-certified Dr. Rani Anbarasu, our healthcare team provides diagnostic, preventive, and wellness services.
If you have any questions about our services or would like to schedule a consultation, call Star Medical Associates today at (940) 382-6900 in Denton, or (469) 301-2300 in Frisco. You can also fill out our appointment request form online now. We look forward to being your partner for a lifetime of health and wellness!
