A medical treatment is the medical care given by a doctor or other health professional to combat a disease, disorder, or injury. It is an essential part of modern health care and usually involves some type of surgery or other procedure. Most medical treatments also include diet and lifestyle advice. They may also involve medication or a device like an insulin pump or a pacemaker. Physiotherapy and other rehabilitation techniques are also part of medical treatment. Medical treatment is a central part of the healthcare system in most advanced industrialized nations and many developing countries. The health care system is generally free or subsidized by the government or private insurance.
Modern medical treatment requires the combined efforts of a wide range of highly trained and often highly specialized health professionals. Medical practitioners are doctors and surgeons; other allied health professionals include nurses, nurse practitioners, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, dietitians, speech therapists, physical therapists, occupational therapists, audiologists, radiographers, chaplains and psychologists.
The practice of medicine is a broad field, and there are various subspecialties for different organ systems, diseases, and sites of care delivery. These specialties are distinguished by the basic sciences in which they train, and by the way in which their results are applied. For example, a physician trained in internal medicine specializes in the care of the adult patient; but pediatricians specialize in the care of infants, children and adolescents.
There is a strong trend in medicine towards chronic illness and fewer acute illnesses. This is mainly due to advances in science and improved living standards, although there are other reasons as well. The most common chronic conditions are heart and circulatory diseases, cancers, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, mental disorders and psychiatric conditions, respiratory diseases, gastrointestinal problems and infections including sexually transmitted diseases and tuberculosis.
Many patients with chronic conditions find it difficult to understand why they should take their prescribed medications. For example, patients with high blood pressure often stop taking their medication because they feel fine; but they do not realize that taking the pill helps reduce their risk of a heart attack or stroke. Other examples of this are people who stop treatment for AIDS because they do not experience any symptoms; however, the drug prolongs life and significantly reduces the chance of complications such as kidney failure and HIV-related dementia.
It is very important to have a good understanding of the scientific method and the process by which a new medical treatment is tested. It is vital that any treatment, whether a drug or surgical procedure, is compared with the current best practice to determine its effectiveness. It is not uncommon for desperate patients to try anything that might help them, such as untested ‘treatments’; this should always be discouraged, and any potential treatment should first be tested through a suitable clinical trial. This will reveal any additional benefits and side effects, allowing a more informed decision to be made.