Family Doctors Do More Than Provide Check-Ups and Shots

Family doctors do more than prescribe antibiotics and give you your annual flu shot. They can also give you advice on how to minimize seasonal allergy symptoms, what foods to avoid if you have high blood pressure or diabetes, and types of exercise that may help you minimize arthritis-related pain. Such doctors also make a point of addressing your mental health needs by spotting possible signs of increased stress or depression. They can also give you sound medical advice that’s more specific than what you might find from a random online search. For instance, there may be a trendy diet you want to try, but your family doctor may explain why it’s not something that would likely benefit you based on their knowledge of your health history.

They Know When to Direct Your Towards an Appropriate Specialist

Many health care plans require patients to get referrals from their regular doctor to see a specialist. Your family doctor can determine if specialized care or testing is right for you. For example, if you’re at a point where your back pain is getting worse, your doctor may have recommended different medications and suggested diet and exercise changes — but nothing is helping. She may suspect that you have a herniated disc or that those tingling sensations in your legs might be due to sciatica. So, it would make sense to recommend that you see a spine specialist for a more detailed evaluation.