At Sherlock Internal Medicine, our providers can help diagnose and diseases and conditions related to allergies and immunologic disorders. When you have an allergy, your immune system translates an invading substance as “harmful” and may react in a variety of ways. Common allergies are seasonal, when your eyes, nose and respiratory tract react to pollen and other irritants. Other allergies include food allergies or those that may be activated by environmental issues.

There are a number of different allergens that can trigger a reaction in your body, such as pollen, grass, animals, food, bites or stings, mold, medications and more. One of our providers can help run tests to better understand what triggers your allergic reactions and develop a management and treatment plan to control the reaction or prevent it completely.

Arthritis is a joint disorder stemming from inflammation of the tissue surrounding the joint. It can be caused due to degeneration of the cartilage of the joint or possibly an autoimmune or metabolic disorders causing chronic inflammation.

Because there are many types of arthritis, treatment options may be very specific each patient. Treatment may include a combination of physical therapy, anti-inflammatory medication, cold or hot presses directly to the joint and even surgery. One of our physicians can help determine what may best help relieve your arthritis symptoms and may even help slow progression of the disease.

Asthma is a long-term lung disease where the airways in the lungs become enflamed and inhibited. Most patients experience coughing, wheezing and difficulty breathing. The severity and cause of attack can vary between people.

While there is no cure, our providers can work with you to manage your asthma symptoms. Education, a plan to avoid asthma triggers and the help of medicines that control inflammation can help most with asthma – even severe asthma – to lead a relatively normal, active life.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease or COPD is a lung disease that gets progressively worse. Signature symptoms of the disease include: coughing (from over-abundant mucus in the lungs), wheezing, difficulty breathing and other symptoms. Smoking is the leading cause.

While although there is no known cure for the disease, the effects of the disease can be slowed with proper ongoing management. For COPD patients who smoke, the MOST important step is to quit! Other critical treatment options may include a pulmonary rehabilitation program.

Congestive heart failure occurs when the heart no longer pumps blood adequately enough to circulate it properly to other parts of the body. This causes fluid (mostly water) to seep from the capillary vessels causing a variety of symptoms including difficulty breathing and extreme fatigue.

The strategy for treating congestive heart failure begins with controlling the amount of fluid in the body so that the heart doesn’t have to work as hard to circulate fluid and blood. Medications are available to decrease fluid in the body as well as help the heart pump more productively. Our medical providers can help with ongoing management of the condition to help reduce the chances of further complications with the disease.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body doesn’t adequately produce or process glucose (or blood sugar). With Type 1 diabetes, the body doesn’t produce insulin at all and has to be dependent upon insulin shots the rest of your life. Type 2 diabetes is the result of the body either not producing insulin properly or not processing it efficiently. Type 2 diabetes generally occurs in those overweight or those who have a family history of the disease.

The symptoms for diabetes can include frequent urination and thirst, blurry vision, irritability and confusion, fatigue, tingling in the hands, frequent infections and wounds that have difficulty healing. Eating plans are critical to diabetes patients along with insulin intake. The providers at Sherlock Internal Medicine can help explain these changes along with creating a lifestyle plan to manage the disease and help prevent long-term complications from diabetes.

The thyroid gland, located in the neck and around the trachea, is one of the largest glands in the body and is responsible for secreting the hormones needed to create metabolism as well assisting in a number of other functions in the body. There are several disorders that can occur with the thyroid that can cause either overproduction (hyperthyroid) or underproduction (hypothyroid) of those critical hormones.

There are varying causes of thyroid disorders, and the treatments range from medications to even surgery. It is important to monitor and test any abnormalities such as nodule formation on the thyroid.

Metabolism is a blanketed term for the many processes and chemical reactions in your body and the parts they play in the conversion process for energy such as breaking down food. One of the main sources of metabolic chemicals comes from thyroid production.

Inherited metabolic disorders can vary in severity and type. Sometimes it can involve the absence of a single enzyme in an individual’s DNA. Others are more complex in diagnosing. There are, however, some types of metabolic disorders that can result in life-threatening symptoms such as difficulty breathing, seizures and organ failure when they manifest and are left untreated.

The providers at Sherlock Internal Medicine help patients understand and control hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol). While cholesterol is important for body function in producing cell membranes, hormones, and sometimes fat digestion, too much cholesterol can lead to a heart conditions such as coronary artery disease, stroke or other cardiovascular diseases.

Treatment for this condition is usually a change in lifestyle with healthier food choices, physical activity and may include incorporating cholesterol-reducing medicines to aid the body in processing cholesterol.

Hypertension is also another term for high blood pressure. Our providers help patients design a plan to lower their blood pressure to more normal levels. Generally high blood pressure develops as you age when veins become more rigid. Other risk factors may include: obesity, anxiety, alcohol, too much salt intake, diabetes and smoking.

Certain ethnicities and family history can leave some at higher risk for hypertension. Left untreated, high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attacks and/or kidney disease.

Lowering blood pressure may be as easy as editing one’s diet to lower fat and sodium intake and including potassium and fiber rich foods. Exercise and increased water consumption can also help lower blood pressure along with stress reduction and weight loss. After an examination and discussion of with a patient about his or her lifestyle and diet, our providers will help incorporate a long-term plan and monitoring of hypertension that may also include medicines to assist in the lowering of blood pressure in addition to lifestyle changes.

GERD – or acid reflux – is a digestive disorder that occurs when the muscle between the esophagus and stomach (also called the lower esophageal sphincter) ceases to function properly allowing acid, undigested food and bile from the stomach to rise up into the esophagus.

GERD can occur from a hernia where the stomach moves up into the chest. Diet lifestyle choices can also play a part in the formation of this disorder, such as fatty and acidic foods. Smoking, pregnancy and alcohol can also trigger GERD. Treatment for the condition can include dietary changes and elevating the body when sleeping. Your Sherlock medical provider can also help by suggesting and prescribing antacids and H2 blockers that control the amount of acid in the stomach.

Our providers use diagnostic tests to help determine the presence of certain diseases and conditions including: X-rays (an electromagnetic wave that passes through the body), EKG (electrocardiograms that translate heart activity to paper), and lab work to test blood, urine and tissues.

Sherlock Internal Medicine has all the technology, staff and experience available for successful diagnostic testing and more accurate diagnosis.

Our medical providers help plan and coordinate fitness programs and individual goals designed with each patient in mind. While physical activity is part of a healthy lifestyle, everyone’s fitness level is different, as well as the medical conditions that may have an affect on their physical state. It is critical to plan a fitness, nutrition and monitoring program with your medical provider.

Geriatrics is the study of internal medicine specifically related to the elderly or aging by a doctor called a geriatrician. The medical providers at Sherlock Internal Medicine are experienced in diagnosing and treating diseases in older adults such as incontinence, balance and falls, cognitive diseases (dementia and Alzheimer’s) and much more.

Immunizations are typically a weakened or dead form of the organism that causes a virus or disease to encourage the body to develop antibodies against the disease. The immunity created through immunizations is one of the most effective forms of fighting preventable communicable diseases. Some diseases require a one time injection while others need a renewal over a certain period of time. Ask our Sherlock Internal Medicine practitioner about reviewing your previous immunizations and plan for any “boosters” you may need as an adult.

Sherlock Internal Medicine offers a variety of in-office procedures for your convenience. Some common procedures we perform in the office include: mole removal or wart removal; treatment of cysts, abscesses, minor abrasions or wounds; biopsies (such as skin), removal of foreign bodies and more.

Nutrition can play a critical part one’s overall health and disease management and prevention. Some conditions such as metabolic diseases, gastrointestinal conditions, high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol levels, diabetes, obesity and much more are greatly affected by nutrition. Sherlock Internal Medicine providers help our patients develop nutritional plans to work best for their particular needs.

Sleep apnea occurs when breathing pauses or stops completely for put to a minute during sleep. The condition is often accompanied by loud snoring and can leave the patient feeling exhausted still throughout the day. Whether caused by obesity or something neurologic, sleep apnea can have long term detrimental affects on one’s health including increased risk for heart disease and diabetes.

Deciding to quit smoking is the first step in leading a healthier life – but the process of quitting can be challenging. Sherlock Internal Medicine practitioners are available to help with that journey. The addictive chemical in cigarettes, nicotine, makes the process more difficult, but many medicines and therapies can help make the process more manageable. Our providers offer lifestyle counseling concurrent with other therapies to make the most effective plan for quitting. It can take anywhere between 6 to 12 weeks before the brain transitions back to the state of a non-smoker and for the nicotine receptors to return to normal. Smoking has been associated with many serious medical conditions – including death.

Obesity is a growing epidemic in the United States and is responsible for many conditions such as chronic inflammation, cancer, diabetes, high blood pressure, arthritis, gastrointestinal difficulties and many more. Some can even be fatal. Genetics and body chemistry (such as hormones and metabolism) play a role in one’s weight and overall health. Our medical providers help our patients take a healthy and realistic approach to managing their weight from evaluating body mass, testing metabolic function, encouraging physical activity and discussing nutrition.

Wellness exams typically review a one’s overall general health and give the patient and the medical provider an opportunity to discuss any health concerns or changes in health. In addition to taking blood pressure, blood tests may be included for screening iron, blood sugar and cholesterol. Some diagnostic testing tests may be ordered depending on medical conditions and age.

The medical team at Sherlock Internal Medicine understand the unique health-related issues women face including pelvic exams, fertility and menopausal management. We offer Pap tests, breast screenings, mammograms, bone density screening and more for our female patients. Additionally, we counsel and test for infertility (or recommend infertility specialists).