Internal Medicine

Our Locations

Focus on Prevention and Early Detection

Adults who are seeking comprehensive healthcare services and general primary care can turn to Northern Nevada Health System. Our internal medicine specialists have expertise in diagnosing and treating a wide spectrum of conditions and chronic illnesses. We provide annual checkups, manage chronic conditions and offer preventive care and diagnostic services.

Internal medicine doctors provide everything from care for routine medical issues to treatment for more complicated conditions. When necessary, you may also be referred to a specialist. Internists offer screening for patients at risk for cancers including breast cancer, prostate cancer and colorectal cancer, among other conditions.

Your internal medicine team will work with you to promote both wellness and disease prevention to help keep you physically active. We will:

• Provide an annual physical exam
• Assess the current state of your health
• Review your medical history, including your family medical history
• Help to determine your risk for certain diseases
• Order timely preventive services, like mammograms and colonoscopies
• Keep you up-to-date on recommended vaccines
• Collaborate with you on a plan for staying well
• Provide information and tools to help you develop healthy lifestyle behaviors

Help for Managing Chronic Conditions

Your provider also has special training in treating adult diseases and conditions, including:

Diabetes

People with diabetes are unable to regulate their blood glucose levels. For glucose to enter cells and be transformed into energy, insulin must be present. For people with diabetes, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the body doesn’t respond to the insulin that it does produce. Either way, glucose doesn’t get into the body’s cells and blood glucose levels in the blood become elevated. High blood sugar levels that are uncontrolled can damage many organs of the body.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a common condition in which the blood flows through the veins or arteries at a higher pressure than normal. Serious health issues like heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure can result if high blood pressure is left untreated. Lifestyle changes, such as eating a healthy diet, exercising more, quitting smoking, maintaining a healthy weight and effectively managing stress can help lower blood pressure. If lifestyle changes alone are not effective there are several types of medication that can help lower blood pressure.

Heart Disease

According to the CDC, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. While the term is used to refer to many types of heart conditions, the most common is coronary artery disease, which affects blood flow to the heart. Your internal medicine physician can diagnose and treat many heart conditions and coordinate with other healthcare professionals, as needed, including surgeons and emergency care physicians.

Asthma

For those with this chronic disease, airways become swollen and inflamed, which makes breathing difficult. Any irritation of these overly-sensitive air passages can lead to an asthma attack with symptoms including chest tightness, coughing, wheezing, difficulty breathing or feeling of inability to catch one’s breath. While there is no cure for asthma, medications and other treatments can help to treat symptoms or prevent them from occurring.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is a progressive disease that makes breathing more difficult. The two types of COPD are chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Each type can cause a variety of symptoms, such as shortness of breath, a mucus-producing cough, wheezing and chest tightness. While there is not a cure for COPD, treatment can help relieve symptoms.

Pneumonia and Influenza

Pneumonia can be a serious condition, especially in older adults and people with other health issues. It is a lung infection that’s caused by a virus, bacteria or inhaling a liquid. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, chest pain, cough and fever. Vaccines are available to help prevent some types of pneumonia.

Influenza, or the flu, is a common respiratory infection caused by a virus. Symptoms are usually worse than the common cold and may include body aches, chills, fever, headache and sore throat. While most people recover from the flu on their own, the condition can cause serious complications. The CDC recommends annual flu shots.

Learn More about Internal Medicine