What Symptoms Can I Use Telemedicine For?

There’s no denying that telemedicine can make getting medical care a lot more convenient, especially if you have a busy schedule or a lot of personal or professional commitments. Not only can you have your visit at a time and location that works for you, but there’s also no need to travel to the doctor’s office or sit in a waiting room until it’s your turn.

Still, while telemedicine offers plenty of advantages, lots of people wonder what it can treat — specifically, what symptoms can be managed through a virtual visit. 

In this post, our Minit Medical Urgent Care and Physical Therapy team provides the answer with a quick review of some of the most common symptoms we can evaluate and treat using our state-of-the-art telehealth system.

Cold and flu symptoms

Colds and flu affect millions of people every year, but who wants to take a trip to the doctor when they’re not feeling well? Telemedicine can help diagnose a cold or flu and rule out other possible infections, as well as provide treatment and guidance to help you feel better faster.

Many people use telemedicine for cold and flu symptoms like:

• Nasal congestion
• Sore throat
• Cough
• Fever
• Headache 
• Sinus pressure
• Body aches

During your telehealth visit, we’ll review your symptoms, and if you have a sore throat or swollen lymph nodes, we may ask you to use your camera so we can “see” your throat and check for redness.

Skin conditions

Your phone’s camera can be a great help in diagnosing and treating many skin conditions, too, like rashes, insect bites, or minor infections. Chronic conditions like eczema and psoriasis can frequently be managed using telemedicine, too. 

In addition to reviewing your symptoms, we’ll use your camera to evaluate your skin in real time. Then, we’ll prescribe medication or other treatments to manage your symptoms and help prevent them in the future.

Minor injuries

Minor cuts or burns, sprains, and strains can often be managed via telemedicine. We’ll review your symptoms and ask questions about how your injury occurred, so we can recommend the best treatment for you. 

We might ask you to use your camera for some injuries, particularly injuries involving your skin, like cuts or burns. Then, we’ll recommend treatment to relieve pain and swelling and promote optimal healing and recovery.

Digestive symptoms

Digestive problems like upset stomach, diarrhea, and constipation aren’t just unpleasant. Without proper management, they can lead to dehydration and other problems.

A telemedicine visit enables us to review your symptoms and health history so we can provide medication or other treatment recommendations to ease your symptoms and get you back to feeling like yourself again. 

Allergy and asthma symptoms

Telemedicine is also frequently used to manage many types of allergies, including seasonal and environmental allergies. 

Our team can often offer a preliminary allergy diagnosis and prescribe a treatment plan to help you manage your symptoms, avoiding the need for an in-person appointment. In addition to helping you relieve current allergy symptoms, we can help you take steps to avoid flare-ups in the future, too.

Urinary tract infections (UTIs)

Urinary tract infections affect millions of people every year, and while they may not seem like a big deal, without prompt treatment, they can lead to permanent kidney damage. 

Fortunately, many people find relief from their symptoms with a simple telehealth visit. During your appointment, we review your symptoms and your medical history, prescribing treatments to relieve discomfort and eradicate the germs causing your UTI.

Earaches

Earaches are a common problem for kids, and they can affect adults, too. Often, earaches are caused by bacterial infections that respond very well to antibiotics.

During your telemedicine appointment, we’ll go over your symptoms and any past history of ear infections, as well as lifestyle habits like swimming that can increase the risk of infections. Then, we’ll prescribe treatment to relieve discomfort and protect your ear from further damage.

Better health is just a click away

Telemedicine is used to treat acute illnesses and to manage chronic health problems, too, like heart disease, high blood pressure, asthma, and diabetes. 

To discover how telemedicine visits can help you stay healthy, request an appointment online or over the phone with Minit Medical Urgent Care and Physical Therapy in Kihei, Kahului, and Lahaina, Hawaii, today.