A medical treatment is a set of measures taken by a health care provider to control a health problem, lessen its symptoms or cure it. It may include medication, therapy, surgery and other approaches. It includes both invasive and non-invasive procedures, like injections or using creams, powders or sprays, as well as diet and lifestyle changes. It also can involve physical and occupational therapy, speech or psychiatric therapy. Some treatments are considered to be “curative” if they make a health problem disappear and it does not return.
Modern medicine relies on a wide range of highly trained health professionals. Nurses, emergency medical technicians and paramedics, laboratory scientists, pharmacists, dietitians, physiotherapists and psychologists are some examples. These professionals work as part of an interdisciplinary team with doctors.
Medical practitioners must document each patient encounter in a medical record, a legal document in many countries. This includes a written patient history called the chief complaint, which is the reason the patient is being seen by a doctor at that visit. It also includes the family history of the patient, a list of the present symptoms and their duration, and other information including a listing of all previous illnesses.
The goal of medicine is to treat the root cause of a disease or illness, not just alleviate its symptoms. However, in some cases a patient’s condition cannot be cured and the focus shifts to palliative care to improve the patient’s quality of life. This can include pain relief, breathing support, fluids and medications for nausea and vomiting.
Other treatments are symptomatic, which means they only ease the symptoms of a condition rather than heal it or prevent complications. They include rest, over-the-counter drugs such as aspirin or ibuprofen and dietary changes such as eliminating caffeine or sugar. These can be a part of the patient’s overall care plan or they can be used in conjunction with other medical treatments such as antibiotics or surgery.
It is generally accepted that patients have a right to consent or refuse clinically indicated medical treatment. It is important that they be provided with adequate information about the benefits and risks of the treatment, as well as any alternatives available. In addition, they should be allowed to choose their own course of action, based on what is best for them and in accordance with their ethical values. This is sometimes referred to as the principle of autonomy or, more specifically in medical settings, the right to self-determination.