7 Conditions An Online GP Can Help With
There are many conditions where you may feel like you need to get in touch with a doctor, but are not serious enough to warrant taking time off work or going out of your way to do so. The COVID-19 pandemic has also changed the way we view getting medical assistance, with more and more people choosing to get in touch with an online doctor in Australia to ask general questions about their health instead of self-diagnosing or booking an appointment with their local GP for minor concerns.
If you’re wondering whether you need to book an in-person appointment with your GP or if an appointment with an online GP will suffice for your condition, this list of common conditions online doctors can help with may be of some help:
1. Colds and Flu:
One of the most common concerns people come to online doctors for are the common cold and flu. Adults can get the common cold up to 4 times a year, and in children, this propensity rises to up to 10 colds per year! This is way too often to be going to a doctor, and in most cases, you don’t need to! Symptoms of both the common cold and flu typically disappear on their own with just some rest and taking lots of fluid, or with the help of some over-the-counter medication. However, you may need to get in touch with an online doctor to get a medical certificate to take time off work to rest and recuperate.
2. Seasonal Allergies:
Another common reason people present to doctors are seasonal allergies, whether respiratory or dermatitis. These may present themselves in the form of a runny nose, itchy eyes, sore throat, sneezing, or rashes on the skin. Although seasonal allergies can be cumbersome and affect your productivity, they are rarely serious enough to warrant taking time out to go see a doctor in person. This is one instance where an online appointment with an authorized doctor does the trick.
3. Conjunctivitis or pink eye:
A highly contagious disease, conjunctivitis or pink eye typically spreads through close contact. When suffering from symptoms of this disease, it is best not to be around other people such as in a doctor’s waiting room as you could potentially spread it to other patients in the room. Luckily, this disease is easily diagnosed by just taking a look at your symptoms, even through a video call, making an online consultation perfect for this condition.
4. UTIs (Urinary Tract Infections):
Urinary Tract Infections will affect one in every two women at least once in their lifetime. Usually, a doctor does not need to perform a physical examination to diagnose a UTI and can easily do so just by monitoring your symptoms. Often, a simple round of antibiotics is all it takes to clear a UTI, a prescription of which you can easily get from an online doctor.
5. Stomach bugs and acid reflux:
The two most common gastrointestinal conditions people come to doctors for are stomach bugs and acid reflux. Stomach bugs, although painful and debilitating do not require much more than plenty of rest and fluids to resolve. But because they are extremely contagious, it is best to stay away from other people until your symptoms disappear, especially other patients who may already have weakened immune systems. This is what makes online appointments such an excellent option for those suffering from a stomach bug.
Most cases of acid reflux can easily be treated using OTC medication, but symptoms that last for days even with medication may be a sign of GORD or gastroesophageal reflux disease. An online doctor can help diagnose this condition by monitoring and analysing yoru symptoms.
6. Chronic Disease Management
One of the cases where online GPs come in most handy is when someone is suffering from a chronic disease such as high blood pressure, diabetes, asthma or high cholesterol. These conditions may require you to book frequent appointments with your doctor just to get repeat prescriptions, which can be a hassle for those with mobility issues, those who live far from their doctor or in rural or remote areas. As long as there are no complications with your condition and the symptoms are effectively being managed by your medication, online doctors can help keep you in the best of health.
7. Other conditions
Some other conditions that an online doctor in Australia may be able to help with include:
- Specialist referrals
- Mental health concerns
- Pathology referrals
- Skin conditions like acne, eczema or allergic dermatitis
- Reproductive health like getting prescriptions for contraceptives, treatment for STIs, bacterial vaginosis, menstrual pain, erectile dysfunction, and other concerns
- Insomnia, and more.
As long as your condition does not require the doctor to conduct a physical assessment and isn’t serious enough to constitute a medical emergency, an online GP should be able to assist.