There are more than 55 medical specialties, so it is important to know which doctor to seek out for specialized treatment.
Generally, the general practitioner is the most recommended doctor to carry out a check-up or to begin diagnosing and treating illnesses. When there is a problem or illness that requires more specific treatment, the general practitioner usually refers you to the most appropriate specialty.
Below is the best doctor to treat some of the most common illnesses:
Most common medical specialties
The most common medical specialties include:
1. Psychiatrist
Psychiatry is the specialty that deals with various psychological disorders such as anxiety, depression, panic syndrome, eating disorders, nervous exhaustion, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, personality disorders, hypochondriasis, post-traumatic stress, chemical dependency or Borderline, for example.
This doctor is qualified to prescribe medications such as anxiolytics, antidepressants or antipsychotics, for example, and in some cases, can provide psychotherapy or work together with a psychologist to provide comprehensive treatment to the person.
2. Urologist
A urologist is a doctor who treats diseases related to the kidneys, bladder, urethra of men and women, and male problems with the testicles and penis.
This is the doctor who must carry out the prostate examination, in addition to being the recommended specialty to treat male impotence, urinary incontinence, infertility, candidiasis, phimosis, prostatitis or balanoposthitis, for example.
In addition, the urologist also diagnoses and treats male STDs, such as HPV, gonorrhea, genital herpes, syphilis, trichomoniasis, chancroid or pelvic inflammatory disease.
The urologist is also responsible for kidney transplant surgery.
3. Ophthalmologist
An ophthalmologist is a doctor who takes care of health and diseases related to the eyes, such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, retinal detachment, hordeolum, pterygium, eye injuries or eye cancer.
Furthermore, the ophthalmologist is the doctor who makes the diagnosis and prescribes prescription glasses for vision problems such as myopia, hyperopia, presbyopia or strabismus, for example.
This medical specialty is also capable of performing eye surgeries and cornea transplants.
4. Endocrinologist
This specialty deals with problems related to the functioning of endocrine glands such as the thyroid, pancreas, pituitary or adrenal glands, which can cause diseases such as hyper- or hypothyroidism, diabetes, prolactinoma or pheochromocytoma.
Generally, medical evaluations are carried out through laboratory tests to measure hormone levels in the blood, as well as imaging tests to confirm the diagnosis, such as ultrasound or computed tomography, for example.
See more information about when to see an endocrinologist.
5. Pediatrician
A pediatrician is a doctor who deals with the health and problems related to children, from birth to 18 years of age.
This specialty is responsible for the comprehensive assessment of the development of children and adolescents, from vaccines, nutrition, psychomotor development to the treatment of diseases such as common childhood infections.
It is important to consult the pediatrician if the child presents signs and symptoms such as diarrhea, fever that does not improve, irritation in the baby or to ask questions about the newborn’s diet to avoid complications and guarantee the health of the child and adolescent.
6. Orthopedist
Orthopedics is the specialty that takes care of diseases of the spine or bones such as herniated discs, parrot beaks, sprains, arthritis and osteoarthritis, for example.
Additionally, orthopedists can treat bone fractures and perform orthopedic surgery.
7. Gastroenterologist
Gastroenterology is the medical specialty that treats problems that affect the gastrointestinal tract and includes the esophagus, stomach, large intestine, small intestine, liver, gallbladder and pancreas.
Thus, the most common diseases treated by gastroenterologists are fatty liver, gastritis, gastric ulcers, gastroesophageal reflux, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn’s disease, hepatitis, cirrhosis, pancreatitis or cancer of the stomach, esophagus, liver or intestine.
The gastroenterologist is also the doctor who generally diagnoses gluten intolerance and refers you to a nutritionist or nutritionist for the dietary changes necessary for this disease.
8. Otolaryngologist
This specialty deals with problems related to the throat, ears and nose, such as pharyngitis, hoarseness, labyrinthitis, nose problems, laryngitis, tonsillitis or swollen adenoids, for example.
In addition, the otorhinolaryngologist can also treat snoring and sleep apnea, which generally includes other specialties such as pulmonologist and neurophysiologist.
9. Proctologist
This is the doctor who treats diseases that affect the large intestine, rectum and anus, such as hemorrhoids, anal fissure or anal fistula.
The proctologist can perform a digital rectal examination, carry out clinical evaluation and, in some cases, request tests such as anoscopy, rectosigmoidoscopy, colonoscopy and biopsies. This medical specialty is also able to perform surgeries such as colorectal videolaparoscopy, for example.
10. Obstetrician-gynecologist
A gynecologist is a doctor who treats diseases related to the female reproductive system, such as candidiasis, vaginal discharge, polycystic ovary, endometriosis, uterine fibroids or urinary tract infections in women.
Furthermore, this specialty also treats STDs in women such as HPV, genital herpes, gonorrhea or syphilis, for example.
Exams carried out by the gynecologist may include Pap smears or colposcopy, and some imaging tests may be requested, such as ultrasound, magnetic resonance imaging or hysterosalpingography.
The gynecologist, also known as an obstetrician-gynecologist, is the doctor responsible for monitoring pregnant women and can request tests such as ultrasound, blood or urine tests, in addition to evaluating the baby’s development and the woman’s health until delivery.
11. Dermatologist
A dermatologist is a doctor who treats skin, hair and nail diseases, such as ingrown toenails, shingles, acne, excess sweating, hair loss, dermatitis, skin allergies, nail fungus or skin cancer, for example.
In addition, the dermatologist can perform aesthetic procedures such as laser hair removal, peeling, botox application or hyaluronic acid fillers.
12. Nephrologist
Nephrology is the medical specialty that diagnoses and treats problems related to the kidneys, such as kidney stones, severe urinary tract infections or kidney failure, for example.
The nephrologist is the doctor who monitors and treats hemodialysis and kidney transplantation.
13. Rheumatologist
A rheumatologist is a doctor who treats rheumatic or autoimmune diseases of the joints, bones, tendons, ligaments or muscles such as fibromyalgia, tendonitis, rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthrosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, gout, rheumatic fever, osteoporosis or ankylosing spondylitis, for example.
14. Surgeon
This medical specialty is responsible for carrying out surgical procedures, mainly in the abdomen. However, there are other surgical specialties such as neurosurgeons, cardiothoracic surgeons, oncological surgeons or pediatric surgeons, for example, who perform surgery in specific regions depending on the type of disease.
15. Cardiologist
A cardiologist is a doctor who treats problems related to the heart or blood circulation, such as high blood pressure, cardiac arrhythmia, heart attack or heart failure. See more situations in which a cardiologist should be consulted.
Furthermore, this specialty may request tests to assess heart health, such as an exercise test, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram or magnetic resonance imaging of the heart, for example.
16. Pulmonologist
A pulmonologist is a doctor who treats diseases that affect the lungs, such as asthma, bronchitis, pneumonia, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), pulmonary emphysema, cystic fibrosis, tuberculosis or lung cancer, for example.
This specialty can perform spirometry or bronchoscopy exams.
17. Angiologist
An angiologist is a doctor who treats circulatory diseases that affect arteries, veins and lymphatic vessels such as varicose veins in the legs, thrombosis, phlebitis or aneurysms.
This specialty is able to perform vascular surgery that includes drying varicose veins in the legs, repairing arterial aneurysms or placing stents in arterial obstructions, for example.
18. Neurologist
A neurologist is a doctor who treats problems related to the nervous system such as Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, multiple sclerosis, sleep disorders, headache, epilepsy, brain trauma, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis or Guillain-Barré syndrome, for example.
19. Allergologist or immunoalergologist
Allergology or immunoallergology is the specialty that deals with allergies in any part of the body and can be respiratory allergies such as allergic rhinitis, skin allergies such as dermatitis, food allergies such as shrimp or peanut allergies, for example.
20. Hepatologist
The hepatologist is the doctor who takes care of the liver and is therefore the recommended specialty when there are problems that affect this organ such as cirrhosis, fatty liver, jaundice, pancreatitis, hepatitis or liver cancer, for example.
Furthermore, this medical specialty is responsible for liver transplant surgery and treatment.
