Internal medicine doctors are specialists who treat various complaints, symptoms, and health problems related to almost all organ systems in adult and elderly patients. Internal medicine doctors have the expertise and competence to treat various diseases that cannot be handled by general practitioners.
To become an internal medicine doctor, a general practitioner needs to continue his education by attending an internal medicine specialist education program for approximately 9 semesters.
Internal medicine doctors are also called internists with the title SpPD. Its main task is to diagnose, prevent, and treat acute and chronic diseases in adults and the elderly, through the administration of drugs or non-surgical measures.
A person is advised to do an internal medicine consultation if he has any complaints or symptoms that affect the organ systems in the body, for example:
- Complaints in the respiratory system, such as shortness of breath, coughing up blood, and pain when breathing.
- Complaints of the digestive system, such as chronic diarrhea, frequent bloating, gastrointestinal bleeding, and impaired absorption of nutrients.
- Complaints about the liver, such as jaundice, abdominal pain, swollen stomach, and easy bruising.
- Complaints about the heart and blood vessels, such as chest pain and shortness of breath after undergoing certain activities.
- Complaints about the kidneys, such as difficulty urinating, urinating with blood, pain when urinating, and swelling of the body.
A person will also often be advised to consult an internal medicine doctor when receiving a referral from a general practitioner.
Subspecialty of Internal Medicine and Treated Diseases
There are 11 branches of internal medicine that can be studied further by internal medicine doctors. Based on this, internal medicine doctors can continue their studies as subspecialties (consultants), each of which will deal specifically with the disease according to the field of science they are studying.
The following are the subspecialties of internal medicine physicians:
1. Allergies and imunology (SpPD-KAI)
Sub-specialist internists or consultant allergy and immunologists treat various diseases caused by allergies and disorders of the immune system. Examples of diseases are:
- Asthma.
- Allergic rhinitis.
- Urticaria or hives.
- Angioedema.
- Vasculitis (inflammation of blood vessels).
2. Cardiovascular (SpPD-KKV)
Cardiovascular consultant internal medicine specialist in charge of treating heart and blood vessel disease in adults. Examples of diseases are:
- Heart failure.
- Coronary heart disease.
- Heart attack.
- Heart rhythm disturbances or arrhythmias.
- Weak heart (cardiomyopathy).
- Cardiogenic shock.
- Heart valve disease.
- Peripheral artery disease.
3. Metabolic and eEndocrinology (SpPD-KEMD)
Consultant metabolic internists and endocrinologists treat various problems related to the body's glandular and hormonal systems as well as metabolic disorders.
Diseases handled by this consultant include hormonal disorders, diabetes mellitus, adrenal gland diseases, hypercalcemia, hypocalcemia, thyroid disorders, goiter, and obesity related to hormonal disorders or metabolic disorders.
4. Hematology and oncology (SpPD-KHOM)
Consultant hematology-oncology specialist in internal medicine treats health problems related to blood disorders, spleen organs, and various types of cancer. Some of the diseases that are treated are:
- Anemia, such as iron deficiency anemia and aplastic anemia.
- Thalassemia.
- hemophilia.
- Bone marrow disorders.
- lymphoma.
- Leukemia.
5. Gastroenterology and hpathology (SpPD-KGEH)
Consultants in gastroenterology and hepatology are responsible for treating complaints and diseases of the digestive system, such as the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
Examples of diseases treated by this consultant include:
- Problems with the stomach, such as gastritis, acid reflux disease, and gastric ulcers.
- Liver problems, such as hepatitis, liver failure, fatty liver (fatty liver), and cirrhosis.
- Irritable bowel syndrome.
- Pancreatitis.
- Inflammation of the ducts and gallbladder.
- Inflammatory bowel disease.
6. Kidney and hhypertension (SpPD-KGH)
For those who experience health problems related to kidneys, high blood pressure, fluid and electrolyte imbalances, and acid-base disorders in the body, then you can consult a specialist in kidney disease and hypertension consultant.
Examples of diseases treated are:
- Acute renal failure and chronic renal failure.
- Diabetic nephropathy.
- Glomerulonephritis.
- Urinary tract infection.
- Kidney stones.
- Acidosis and alkalosis.
- Nephritic syndrome and nephrotic syndrome.
7. Pulmonology (SpPD-KP)
This subspecialty of internal medicine deals with complaints and treatment related to diseases of the respiratory system.
Respiratory disorders, such as asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis, emphysema, tuberculosis, COPD, and pleural effusion, are types of disease that can be treated by an internist consultant pulmonologist.
8. Rheumatology (SpPD-KR)
A rheumatology subspecialist in internal medicine who specializes in dealing with complaints related to diseases of the joints, muscles, bones and connective tissue or connective tissue. Examples of health problems handled by this consultant are:
- Autoimmune diseases, such as lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Osteoarthritis.
- Inflammation of the spine or spondylitis.
- Fibromyalgia.
- Gout.
- Rheumatic fever.
- Sarcoidosis.
9. Geriatrics (SpPD-KGer)
The geritarian subspecialist in internal medicine is in charge of treating medical disorders in elderly patients related to the aging process. Examples of diseases treated are geriatric syndromes, dementia, urinary incontinence, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis.
10. Psychosomatics (SpPD-KPsi)
This consultant internal medicine doctor treats various psychosomatic disorders and disorders of bodily functions related to psychological disorders. Examples of diseases treated are chronic fatigue syndrome, tension headaches, erectile dysfunction or sexual dysfunction, to pain related to psychological problems.
11. Disease tropik-iinfection (SpPD-KPTI)
Tropical-infectious disease consultant specialists are in charge of treating and preventing infectious infectious diseases, whether caused by viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites.
Some of the diseases handled by this consultant are dengue hemorrhagic fever, chikungunya, rubella, sepsis, rabies, malaria, helminth infections, filariasis, typhoid fever, tetanus, and anthrax.
Consultation with an internal medicine specialist usually requires a referral from a general practitioner first. However, if you are sure that the symptoms and diseases you are experiencing require treatment from an internal medicine doctor or when you need it, second opinion for a disease diagnosis, you can see an internal medicine doctor directly.