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primary care in Wellington FL

How to Choose a Primary Care Doctor

A primary care doctor is your key to achieving and maintaining optimal health. They provide you with everything from treating common illnesses such as fever, flu, allergies, etc., to screening deadly illnesses like breast cancer or prostate cancer and referral to a specialist.

A primary care doctor is a medical doctor who addresses all your primary care needs. So, it would be best if you chose a doctor with which you can have a rewarding relationship. Your primary doctor can be your family nurse practitioner, pediatrician, Ob/Gyn, internal medicine doctor, etc.

Let’s talk about some tips you can follow while choosing your primary care doctor and where you can find the best primary care doctor in Royal Palm Beach.

Tip#1 Start by Asking People You know

Finding the best primary care doctor in your area can be challenging. So, follow this easy step, i.e., ask around.

You can speak with your family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors and get recommendations from them. Another good source is getting recommendations from other healthcare professionals like pharmacists, physiotherapists, dentists, etc.

Note down the name of all the primary care doctors in a journal and research them to narrow down the list.

Tip #2 Get Help from Your Insurance Provider

A primary care doctor who shares your insurance plan will decrease your health care costs. So, to pay the least out of your pocket, ask your insurance provider to give you a list of primary care doctors who come under your plan. You can also search for the name of your potential primary care doctor on your insurance provider’s website.

You must choose a primary care doctor who comes under your insurance plan and is compatible with you.

Tip #3 Research the Education and Credentials

Do a background check to narrow down the list of primary care doctors you have in hand. You must find out about the education, training, experience,and accreditation of all the primary care doctors on your list.

Also, make sure that your potential primary care doctor is board certified and has no history of a malpractice claim or disciplinary action.

Tip #4 Know What Other People Say About the Doctor

Knowing what other people say about your potential primary care doctor will give you an insight into how the doctor practices medicine, the attitude of staff and doctors towards patients, and appointment wait times.

For this, read patient reviews and testimonials about primary care doctors. While these reviews can be used as a yardstick when choosing the doctor, you should not completely rely on patient reviews as they can be fabricated and sometimes misleading.

Tip #5 Find Out If your Primary Care Doctor Is Compatible with You

Before choosing a doctor, know them in person. For this, make a one-on-one consultation with them. During your consultation, notice your doctor’s communication style. Also, see if they answer your questions and value your point and treatment preference.

Choose a doctor who considers you a person, not a number.

Primary Care in Royal Palm Beach

If you’re looking for a highly skilled and trained primary care doctor, look no further than Advanced Medical in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach, Florida. At our clinic, we offer a high standard of primary and urgent care. Our internal medicine specialist Dr. Ishan Gunawardene and nurse practitioner Shariffa Gunawardene provide comprehensive treatment options to help you achieve a better quality of life.

To set up a consultation with our primary care doctors, call us today at (561) 434-1935or request an appointment by filling out our online form.

How a Family Doctor Can Help Manage Asthma

Asthma is a chronic condition that can cause chest pain, difficulty breathing, and wheezing. One of the most common causes of asthma is allergies, usually due to environmental factors such as dust, smoke, and pollution. A respiratory illness can also trigger asthma symptoms.

While there is no cure for asthma, you can keep your asthma symptoms under control with the help of your family doctor. A primary care doctor can coordinate your healthcare with other medical specialists and help you maintain your quality of life.

Asthma is one of the most commonly treated conditions by family medicine providers. It may surprise you to know that even if you are already seeing an allergy doctor for your asthma, the allergy specialist may recommend that you also see a primary care provider.

Let’s talk about why you need to have a primary care physician, how a family doctor can help you manage your asthma, and where you can go in Wellington and Royal Palm Beach for top-notch medical care for yourself and your whole family.

Reason #1: A Family Doctor Can Help You Manage Several Conditions at Once

A family medicine provider helps you control not just asthma but also other chronic conditions you may have, such as high blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes. Your family doctor can provide comprehensive care by taking into account your medical history, lifestyle, and preferences.

It can be challenging trying to manage several health conditions concurrently, but it’s not impossible. Some medications have ingredients that contraindicate each other, in which case they should not be taken at the same time – and your family doctor will make sure that none of your medicines are counteracting. Similarly, some recommendations for one condition may not be recommended for another condition, and this physician will help you to make the best decisions about how to take a comprehensive approach.

Reason #2: A Family Doctor Can Help Prevent Complications of Asthma

The breadth of knowledge and experience of a primary care doctor includes training in diagnosing and treating asthma, so this physician knows how to help you reduce or prevent complications that may arise – such as a worsening of asthma symptoms. Family medicine providers give personalized, high-quality care to keep you healthy for a lifetime.

How a Family Doctor Helps Keep Asthma Under Control

The goal is to prevent and control asthma attacks and establish normal lung function. This includes identifying your own personal triggers and avoiding them, and also the use of medication.

Depending on your needs, you may require the use of short-acting and long-acting prescription asthma medication. The doctor will educate you on the use of a peak flow meter, and teach you how to use it to detect an oncoming attack and possibly prevent it.

The doctor will also teach you how to properly use a rescue inhaler to experience quick relief from your asthma symptoms. The long-term medication prescribed by your family medicine provider will help prevent asthma attacks and lessen their severity when they do arise.

Family Doctor in Wellington, FL

If you want to take control of your asthma, let our family medicine provider here at Advanced Medical Clinic, Dr. Shariffa Gunawardene, help you live a better life. Dr. Gunawardene provides personalized asthma treatment for our patients who have allergy-induced asthma, and she takes her time with each patient to determine the best course of action for optimal health and wellness. She and her husband, Dr. Ishan Gunawardene, together lead our medical team and will ensure you receive the full and proper diagnostics and treatment that works for you.

If you have any questions or would like to schedule an appointment, call our primary care clinic today at (561) 434-1935 or fill out our convenient online appointment request form. We look forward to serving you!

Can Whiplash Cause Depression?

Whiplash is a type of neck injury that occurs after a fast-paced vehicular or sports accident. The sudden, forceful motion during the accident can cause the neck to overextend, causing the vertebrae to become misaligned. Pain from whiplash can be physical and psychological.

You may not automatically connect whiplash with depression, but there is a connection between the two. Depression is common in those with whiplash-associated disorders. Let’s discuss how whiplash could cause depression. 

Why Whiplash Could Lead to Depression

Long-Term Whiplash Injury Complications

Alignment issues in the cervical region, in addition to the co-occurring soft tissue injuries, can impede normal blood flow to and from the brain, causing other medical conditions such as chronic pain, which is also linked to depression. For some, the problems that arise from whiplash can be long-term. Pain, stiffness, migraines, dizziness, and ringing in the ears are just a few examples of long-term effects associated with whiplash.

The long-term effects of whiplash can include depression. Without getting back to normal function, the patient can be psychologically impacted. This is compounded by thoughts of the accident, such as feeling angry, scared, or anxious.

Recovery

Another cause of depression due to whiplash may be the recovery period required. Soft tissue injuries can take up to 10 weeks to heal. For some, whiplash symptoms can persist even at the six-month mark or longer, which means the condition is chronic. Patients with chronic whiplash tend to have higher incidences of and increased levels of anxiety and depression.

Recovery from whiplash takes time, and during this period, the patient is limited in the activities they can engage in. For instance, sports and exercise are going to be off-limits, as the patient will need to wear a collar or neck brace to prevent movement and to support the neck as it heals.

Don’t Want to Become Depressed After Sustaining a Whiplash Injury?

In order to get the best possible outcome from whiplash treatment, it is important to seek treatment immediately after being involved in a sport or vehicular accident. Moreover, entrust your care in the hands of experts in whiplash treatment. Whiplash is usually treated using a combination of physical therapy, chiropractic treatment, various pain management techniques, and orthopedic care.

Whiplash Treatment in Royal Palm Beach and Wellington, FL

At Advanced Medical, our primary care doctors provide treatment for patients with whiplash. We are committed to your recovery. We will make sure our treatment plan is highly individualized for effectiveness and to reduce complication risk. We also coordinate care with other specialists, such as chiropractors and physical therapists, to give you the best chance at a fast recovery. We also treat patients with chronic pain and other long-term complications from whiplash.

If not treated in a timely manner, whiplash can cause serious health conditions. To schedule an appointment for whiplash treatment, call us today at (561) 434-1935 or use our appointment request form. We look forward to helping you get back to your life, pain-free.