Internal and Family Medicine

SERVICES

Internal Medicine

Internal medicine doctors diagnose and medically treat diseases while also providing primary care for adults. Internists handle everything from primary care to screening patients for cancer. Aiken Physicians Alliance has access to a network of other specialized physicians they can refer you to for specific treatment.

Conditions Treated

Internal medicine doctors at Aiken Physicians Alliance provide preventive care that includes routine checkups and screenings as well as chronic illness management. The physicians can diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions and illnesses, including:

Asthma

Asthma is a chronic disease where the airways become inflamed and swollen. Asthma can make it difficult to breathe. Patients with asthma can experience many symptoms, such as:

  • Wheezing
  • Coughing
  • Shortness of breath

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)

COPD is a progressive disease that makes breathing more difficult with two types – chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Each type can cause many symptoms, such as:

  • A cough with mucus
  • Wheezing
  • Struggling with breathing
  • Chest tightness

Pneumonia and Influenza

Pneumonia is a lung infection that’s caused by bacteria, a virus or by inhaling a liquid.

Symptoms may include:

  • Fever
  • Cough
  • Problems breathing
  • Chest pain

Influenza, or the flu, is a common respiratory infection caused by a virus. Symptoms may include:

  • Body aches
  • Chills
  • Fever
  • Headache
  • Sore throat

Diabetes

Diabetes is a metabolism disorder where the body is unable to regulate its blood glucose levels. Glucose comes from eating carbohydrates.

For glucose to enter cells and be transformed into energy, insulin must be present. The pancreas is in charge of producing insulin. In people with diabetes, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin. Similarly, the body may not respond to the insulin it does produce.

High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure (hypertension) is a condition where the blood flows through the veins or arteries at a high force. High blood pressure is relatively common. However, left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to serious health issues, including heart attack, heart failure, stroke and kidney failure.

Healthy lifestyle changes can help lower blood pressure. Your doctor will help you create a plan to incorporate a healthy diet, exercise and stress management into your daily routine. Your doctor can also provide you with the tools you need to quit smoking.

Heart Disease

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in America, according to the CDC. One in five Americans has some form of cardiovascular disease, according to the American Heart Association®. Internal medicine physicians can diagnose and treat many heart conditions. They also coordinate with other healthcare professionals, including surgeons and emergency care physicians as needed.

Travel Clinic

We also have a Travel Clinic that is located at 102 Summerwood Way, within our Internal Medicine location. It provides immunizations and counseling for international travel. When calling to request a travel consultation, please provide us with your personal information, date of departure and return, destination and insurance information.

Please bring the following to your consultation appointment:

  • Itinerary
  • Immunization records
  • List of medications and allergies
  • Family physician’s name
  • Insurance cards

Immunizations we provide include:

  • Hepatitis A and B
  • Typhoid vaccine
  • Yellow Fever vaccine
  • Tetanus (dT, dTap)
  • Meningococcal vaccines
  • Measles, Mumps and Rubella
  • Shingrix (the new shingles shot)
  • Polio vaccine
  • HPV vaccine
  • Pneumovax
  • Prevnar
  • Influenza vaccine
  • Varicella vaccine
  • Japanese Encephalitis vaccine
  • Rabies vaccine

Family Medicine

From routine checkups and physical exams to chronic illness management, our board-certified providers are devoted to providing comprehensive healthcare.

Family medicine doctors are a type of primary care physician. Family physicians take a comprehensive approach to care for individuals and families, across all age groups. This specialty within primary care allows practitioners to take a holistic approach with a full family picture to provide personalized care.

Easy access to family history gives doctors a step up in disease prevention. Family physicians can help highlight genetic markers for disease. These markers can link to a head start on preventative measures for patients with a higher risk of stroke or risk of heart disease. They can also help physicians detect if certain diseases, like different types of heart disease, may be hereditary.

Conditions Treated

Family medicine physicians and internists can diagnose and treat many common conditions, including:

  • Heart disease
  • Stroke
  • Hypertension
  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Asthma

Treatments Provided

Your physician can provide:

  • Wellness exams
  • Preventive healthcare screenings
  • Medicare wellness exams
  • Well-woman exams
  • School and sports physicals
  • Chronic disease management
    • Hypertension
    • Cardiovascular
    • Diabetes
    • Gastrointestinal disorders
  • Services and procedures
    • X-ray, ultrasound, DEXA scan, echocardiogram, vascular studies (JMA)
    • EKG
    • Pulmonary function test
    • Ear lavages
    • Skin lesion removal
    • Trigger point injections
    • Immunizations

Geriatric Medicine

Geriatric medicine is dedicated to providing quality treatment to seniors. We address the physical, mental, functional, rehabilitative, and preventive needs of older patients, including acute and chronic conditions. By providing primary care to adults over 55, we can diagnose and treat a wide range of conditions. Our physicians for older adults have specialized knowledge in:

  • Alzheimer’s disease
  • Cancer
  • Diabetes
  • Heart disease
  • Osteoporosis
  • Parkinson’s disease
  • Sleep disorders