Nuclear Medicine

Often doctors miss an important detail or abnormality that could end fatally for the patient they are treating. With the continual increase in science and technology the medical field is being improved on a daily basis. New technology, such as nuclear medicine technology, allows doctors and physicians to treat patients more effectively and inflict less discomfort. Nuclear medicine uses images much like x-rays to gather information about the structure and function of varying body parts and organs. Nuclear medicine technology uses radiopharmaceuticals, small amounts of radioactive material, and specially developed cameras to create images of the body part they wish to study. For nuclear medicine to work it requires the patient to ingest radiopharmaceuticals orally. This radioactive material is created in a way that allows it to be collected by the organ or body part that doctors wish to study. The radiopharmaceuticals are collected by the bodies organs and nuclear medicine technology allow small scale gamma rays that are given off to be measured by a camera that is able to record gamma rays. These special cameras work in junction with computers. Nuclear medicine technology allows the images created by the cameras to be digitalized and sent to a computer, where it can then be modified or sent to another location. Nuclear medicine works in a very similar way to X-rays, however it uses smaller wavelengths so it is safer.

Nuclear medicine allows doctors to find information that is not usually readily available without the use of a diagnostic test or surgery. Diagnostic tests and surgery can be both painful and expensive. Nuclear technology provides patients with a cheap and painless alternative to these common forms of diagnosis. Nuclear medicine can allow a doctor to find and diagnose medical problems and abnormalities that may not have become apparent using another form of test. It can help to catch these abnormalities early on and therefore increase the chance of successfully treating them. For instance, if a patient has cancer or another form of abnormality it may go unnoticed for too long of a time. The longer that cancer goes unnoticed the harder it becomes to treat and cure. If cancer goes unnoticed and untreated it is fatal. Nuclear medicine increases the chance for doctors to find these abnormalities and treat them in a timely fashion. This technology can help save lives. A nuclear medicine technologist is someone who is trained in the science of nuclear medicine and technology. To be qualified for this position an individual must undergo extensive education. The Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board was created in 1987 for the purpose of administering examinations to nuclear medicine technologists to ensure that they are qualified to practice nuclear medicine. Located in Tucker, Georgia, it is the leading nuclear medicine technology certification board in the United States. As technology keeps improving we can hope that new discoveries will be made and innovative people will come up with new ideas that will continue to improve the medical field., such as nuclear medicine has.

Alternative Medicine

The term alternative medicine refers to any method of healing that does not fall within the category of modern conventional medicine. Often, alternative medicine will focus on cures that have significance in history or within a specific culture. Examples of alternative medicine include meditation, yoga, hypnosis, acupuncture, homeopathy, Ayurveda, herbalism and chiropractic practices. Alternative medicine practices are very diverse and vary from place to place. They are often based on the knowledge of folk traditions and spiritual beliefs. Alternative medicine is classified into five major groups of study. These groups are mind-body medicine, energy medicine, biologically based practiced, manipulative practices and whole medical systems. Mind-body medicine focuses on the connection that occurs between the mind and the body. The belief that the mind can effect and alter symptoms that the body displays is fundamental to the practice of mind-body medicine. Energy medicine explores the use and the effect of energy fields on the body. Biologically based practices use substance found in nature such as plants, herbs and food to promote health and to cure diseases. An example of this would be the use of the birch to help with fevers, water retention and arthritis, as well as the use of the herb clove to help with digestive problems. Manipulative practices involve moving parts of the body, such as is done in chiropractic practices. Whole medicine systems involve two or more of the categories listed above. One of the very popular forms of alternative medicine that is practiced today is acupuncture. Acupuncture is the process of inserting needles into various points along the body in order to relieve stress, pain and tension.

Naturopathic medicine is a type of alternative medicine that is based on the belief that the body has the ability to heal itself. It promotes self healing and the belief that nature has the power to heal. Naturopathic medicine uses natural therapies, diet and exercise to maintain health and fight off illness and disease. Naturopathic healing implements the use of healing compounds and medicinal herbs, as well as some low risk procedures. Naturopathic medicine physicians seek to find the root of the illness that is effecting the patient and discourages the use of drugs to cover up the symptoms of an illness. They use a holistic approach and use little or no surgery and drugs. Naturopathic medicine is practiced around the world, especially in America and Canada. Naturopathic medicine physicians must pass board exams created by the North American Board of Naturopathic Examiners after completing their study and training at a certified college. In a recent survey thirty-eight percent of American adults have claimed that they have used some form of alternative medicine. A 2008 survey conducted by the American Hospital Association reported that about thirty seven percent of hospitals offer at least one form of alternative medicine procedures. Over the lest few years alternative and naturopathic medicine have greatly increased in popularity, and they still continue to do so because it focuses on treating illnesses instead of covering up symptoms

Internal Medicine

The term internal medicine refers specifically to the health care practice the specializes in diagnosing and treating serious adult diseases. Generally, someone who is studying internal medicine focuses one a one organ specialty. There are seventeen different sub specialties within internal medicine. These sub specialties include adolescent medicine, advanced heart failure, allergies and immunology and clinical cardiac electrophysiology. Internal medicine also includes the specialties of infectious diseases, pulmonary diseases, and medical oncology. Medical oncology is the branch of medicine that deals with the diagnosis and treatment of tumors. This often involves surgery, as well as chemotherapy and radiation. The field of infectious diseases focuses on the treatment of illnesses caused by viruses, bacteria and parasites. The sub field of internal medicine known as pulmonary disease deal with lung disease and abnormalities of the respiratory system. Symptoms of these abnormalities include, but are not limited to chest pain, coughing and the production of mucus and phlegm. Internal medicine also includes other sub specialties such as cardiovascular disease, critical care medicine, endocrinology, diabetes and metabolism, gastroenterology, geriatric medicine, hematology, nephrology, rheumatology and sleep medicine. The sub specialty nephrology deals with everything related to diseases of the kidneys or functions of the kidneys. Gastroenterology is a field that is dedicated to the study of the digestive system. Cardiovascular disease deals with diseases of the heart and arteries. Hematology focuses primarily on blood and diseases or disorders of the blood and the sub specialty of endocrinology in concerned with hormones and hormone regulation.

Internal medicine doctors are doctors that have studied to specialize in these adult diseases. Internal medicine doctors are called internists and have spent at least three years studying how to diagnose and treat adult diseases. Someone who wishes to become an internal medicine doctor must complete a four year undergraduate program, a medical graduate program, complete a year long internship and spend three years in a residency. Internal medicine doctors must also pass a licensing exam and become board certified by passing a written and an oral board certifying exam. Internal medicine doctors are primary care physicians that can see patients in offices, in hospitals and in clinics. Being employed as an internal medicine doctor requires you to be able to make difficult and confusing diagnosis and in many cases the patient you are caring for will contain more than on disease or disorder at the same time and you will be required to diagnose and treat both of them. An internal medicine doctor needs to be able to remain calm in high pressure, stressful situation. He/she needs to be knowledgeable and be someone who can solve puzzles and dilemmas quick and execute procedures accurately. Millions of people around the globe put their lives in the hands of these doctors everyday. Becoming an internal medicine doctor requires a lot of dedication and hard work, but it will also put you in an exciting and rewarding career that provides a lot of flexibility surrounding where you work and what specialty you work in.

Medicine

The term medicine is used to refer to the science of healing, as well as any substance that is used to treat diseases and promote health. Today there is a variety of different health care professions that use medicine as a tool to improve and maintain health. The use of medicine and plants with medicinal properties has taken place since the prehistoric times when people believed that herbs and animal parts could help heal sick and injured people. Many countries around the world such as Egypt, India, Persia, and China have been developing traditional medical practices for hundreds of years. Since then the use of medicine has become greatly intertwined with most people’s lives and it is often used on a daily basis by many people in order to help with things such as lowering blood pressure or cholesterol. Medicine is prescribed by educated doctors in order to cure illnesses and infections, as well as to maintain a healthy body. As science and technology continue to improve medicine is becoming more and more reliable. Medicine and the advances made in medical technology has greatly increased life expectancy and has made coping with illness more comfortable. Medicine exists for a to help with a variety of different issues. There is medicine that is used to lessen pain such as morphine, anti-depression medicine, and medicine such as antibiotics that kills bacteria that causes sickness. Millions of dollars are spent every year by pharmaceutical companies who are researching and developing new types of medicine. The United States’ National Library of Medicine houses many historical documents, videos and photographs related to the field of medicine.

Medicinal is a term that refers to anything that contains therapeutic properties. There are foods, plants, herbs and mushrooms that contain medicinal properties. The medicinal herb called bloodroot is used in small doses to cure throat infections, and the paste that is made from bloodroot can be used externally in order to help with skin diseases and warts. St. John’s Wart can be used to treat depression, diarrhea and bladder problems, as well as bed wetting in children. The medicinal herb ginseng has the ability to help the body deal with heat, cold, stress and fatigue. There are hundreds of plants that contain medicinal properties and dictionaries of therapeutic herbs and plants can be found at most book stores. There are many types of medicinal mushrooms that are used in the practice of medicine. Medicinal mushrooms help to boost the immune system. Research done on fungus has led to the development of medicine such as penicillin, which is used a lot today to cure serious illnesses such a strep throat. Many foods are referred to as medicinal foods and are used to improve health or prevent disease. This usually includes foods that are enriched with vitamins and minerals. An example of a medicinal food includes cranberries, which contain antioxidants and are known to improve urinary health and help with urinary tract infections. Whether it be pharmaceutical medicine or alternative medicine, the increase in medical technology has greatly improved our quality of life.