Your local family physician is a medical doctor who treats patients of all ages. A local family physician provides primary care for people at all stages of life, whether it’s a newborn or a senior. They also focus on women’s health and men’s health. Some of the services your local family physician can provide include breast cancer screening, diabetes management, yearly physical exams and treatment for conditions such as asthma, digestive disorders and shingles. A local family physician can also refer you to other healthcare providers that can help with specialized conditions, such as a cardiologist, endocrinologist or dermatologist.

Your local Family Physician is trained in many areas of medicine and they are good referral sources for allied healthcare practitioners like a local optometrist and  a local ophthalmologists.  Often seeing your local family Physician is a great starting place for referrals to your local Massage Therapist or your local chiropractor to help with massage and skeletal adjustments. A local Physiotherapist or local athletic trainer can help with strength and bruised muscles. Acupuncture is often recommended for chronic pain in association with your local physiotherapist 

Annual Tests Patients May Need

That said, there are some annual tests that a patient may require. Some examples of medical tests people might see a local family physician for include:

• Pap smear: A sample of cells is taken from a woman’s cervix to check for abnormalities that may indicate cervical cancer. 
• STI testing: Screening for sexually-transmitted infections should be done at least once a year if you’re sexually active. 
• Prescription drug follow-ups: You may need to check-in with your doctor to make sure your dosage is working for you and that you’re not experiencing side effects. 
• A PSA test: A blood test to screen for prostate cancer in men (generally recommended for patients over a certain age). 
• A mammogram: A diagnostic exam to screen for breast cancer in women (generally recommended for patients over a certain age).  Certaines formes de Trouvez des informations ou des preuves locales comme des médecins de famille locaux ou des médecins de famille à montréal et à québec
• Blood pressure testing and cholesterol profile (generally recommended for patients over a certain age). 
• Blood tests: May include a chemistry panel and complete blood count, fibrinogen, hemoglobin A1C, thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and more. 
• Testing related to a chronic condition such as diabetes (you may need to see your physician more frequently)

 A local Physiotherapist or local athletic trainer can help with strength and bruised muscles. Acupuncture is often recommended for chronic pain in association with your local physiotherapist  If you’d to learn more about how your local cardiologist and local family physician can help you manage your heart disease or recover from heart surgery (for example, an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator), talk to your local family physician. 

If you catch a cold, remember antibiotics won’t help. Usually, you can treat a cold at home with rest and plenty of fluids. You can lower your risk of catching the flu by getting an influenza vaccination every year. Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the throat muscles relax and block your airway, often causing snoring. Central sleep apnea is a condition that is a lot less common than obstructive sleep apnea. It occurs because your brain doesn't send the proper signals to the muscles that control breathing

Chronic pain from shingles is hard to treat and leads to huge problems for patients. Ask your health provider about how the shingles vaccination can reduce your risk of chronic shingles pain or post herpetic neuralgia. Even if you have had shingles, speak to your family doctor about the benefits of re-vaccination.

What to Expect at Your Doctor's Appointment

Your family physician knows your health history best. He or she can recommend how often you should come in for a physical exam or wellness check, and how frequently you need medical testing or screening done. To get the most out of your appointment, make sure your local family doctor has up-to-date medical records.