We aim to be a local family doctor who is able to treat and consult on a wide range of illnesses, regardless of gender, from babies to the elderly.
We also provide preventive care and home-visit medical services, and believe that it is our responsibility to help everyone in the community to improve their health.
Below are some examples of major consultations in the field of internal medicine. Please feel free to consult us for any other symptoms or physical problems.
Sleep apnea syndrome (SAS)
SAS is a disease in which a person stops breathing repeatedly during sleep with loud snoring. Sleep apnea causes the body to be in a hypoxic state, and if it continues night after night, it is associated with heart and vascular diseases (angina pectoris, myocardial infarction, stroke, etc.) and many lifestyle-related diseases (high blood pressure, etc.). In addition, the body wakes up defensively to resume breathing from the hypoxic state, which prevents a good night's sleep, causing symptoms such as “daytime sleepiness,” “dullness,” “heaviness in the head,” “depressed mood,” “chronic fatigue,” and “poor concentration,” which affect daily life, including work and study.
Causes, Testing, and Treatment
The inability to breathe during sleep is due to narrowing of the air passages, which can be caused by birth defects, enlarged tonsils, obesity (the most common), menopause in women, and advanced age.
A simple portable testing device called PSG (polysomnography all-night sleep) is loaned to the patient's home to examine sleep quality and breathing during sleep.
For those diagnosed with SAS, a “mouthpiece” is made at the referring dentist's office for mild to moderate cases, and for moderate to severe cases, “CPAP (continuous nasal airway pressure) therapy” is used to widen the airway, requiring monthly visits.
If the treatment is well matched to the patient's condition, some patients experience dramatic improvement in sleep.
As for prevention, proper use of sleeping pills, attention to lifestyle such as the amount of alcohol consumption and smoking, and elimination of obesity are important.
Outpatient clinic for smoking cessation
Smoking is known to be a risk factor for lifestyle-related diseases such as high blood pressure and arteriosclerosis, diseases that clog blood vessels such as myocardial infarction and stroke, respiratory system diseases such as emphysema, and systemic cancer such as lung cancer.
When the substances contained in cigarettes and the compounds produced by incomplete combustion are combined, there are said to be about 5,300 different components, and about 70 known carcinogens are contained.
Smokers have up to 10 years less life expectancy than those who have not smoked in their lifetime, and quitting smoking is said to greatly reduce the risk of various diseases, as well as the risk of developing diseases in children living in the same household. If you wish to quit smoking, please consult an outpatient smoking cessation clinic that is covered by insurance.
(Reference: Cancer Information Service, National Cancer Center)
*Shipments of the smoking cessation drug varenicline (Champix tablets) are currently suspended due to the cancer risk associated with its contents. There is no prospect of resuming distribution in the future, and the alternative drug nicotine patch (nicotinel TTS) will be used to resume outpatient smoking cessation services.
For more information
*Picosmoker (a device to measure carbon monoxide concentration in exhaled air) is no longer used in our clinic. We ask for your understanding that after Feb. 2024 we are only able to provide support for electronic cigarettes.
Outpatient smoking cessation treatment covered by insurance
This applies to people who meet the following criteria
- wishes to quit smoking within 1 month
- have agreed to the explanation of smoking cessation treatment given by the physician
- if you are over 35 years old, the number of cigarettes smoked per day x the number of years you have smoked is 200 or more
- score 5 or more on the nicotine dependence test
*If the above conditions are not met, if you wish to continue treatment after all five treatments, or if you wish to have treatment again within one year of the start of the initial treatment, you may be required to pay for the treatment yourself (not covered by insurance).
Duration and cost: 5 visits for 3 months for about 13,000 yen.
Success rate of smoking cessation: approx. 60%
Contents of medical examination:
- interview of smoking status, confirmation of will, explanation of disadvantages of smoking and advantages of quitting smoking
- nicotine screening test
- measurement of exhaled carbon monoxide concentration
- advice on implementation and continuation of smoking cessation
- explanation and prescription of smoking cessation medication
Allergic Rhinitis
Airborne antigens are inhaled through the nasal passages and adhere to the mucous membranes of the nose, causing allergic symptoms.
Perennial and seasonal allergies are caused by mites, house dust, molds, cats, dogs, etc. Most seasonal allergies are hay fever. In addition to rhinitis symptoms such as nasal discharge, nasal obstruction, and sneezing, many patients suffer from itchy eyes and skin symptoms, which often interfere with daily life. Blood samples are taken along with a medical interview for conditions that tend to cause symptoms.
Treatment includes 1) daily lifestyle guidance, 2) oral antihistamines, 3) topical medications such as nasal drops and eye drops, and 4) sublingual immunotherapy. Sublingual immunotherapy is available only for patients with strong allergic symptoms to “cedar” and “mites. (Reference: Torii Pharmaceuticals, “Allergen Immunotherapy Navi”)
Surgical treatment (nasal mucosa cauterization) may be indicated when treatment is difficult with drug therapy. Since the effects, duration of action, and side effects of medications vary, we will work with you to find the lifestyle and medication that best suits your needs.
Chinese Herbal Medicine Treatment
Although our clinic does not specialize in Chinese herbal medicine, Chinese herbal medicines are used in many primary care practices, and we prescribe them to those who wish to use them.
If there is an organic disease, the first priority is a Western approach, and if that does not resolve the problem, or as an adjunctive role, Chinese herbal medicine can be effective. Kampo (Chinese herbal medicine) specialists also use decoctions, but we prescribe extracts covered by insurance, such as those by Tsumura.
Improvement of subjective symptoms is the basic objective of kampo treatment, so we will work with you to find a prescription medicine that suits your individual needs.
Outpatient Treatment for lifestyle-related diseases
Lifestyle-related diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, hyperuricemia, and obesity are caused by the combination of several diseases and long-term affliction, which increases the risk of developing arteriosclerosis, heart disease (angina pectoris and myocardial infarction), stroke, etc.
The main causes are inadequate lifestyle habits such as lack of exercise, overeating, weight gain, stress, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and sleep disorders, and it is advisable to take appropriate advice to improve your lifestyle.
In addition, arterial effect evaluation such as narrowing and stiffness of blood vessels and vascular age by blood pressure pulse wave measuring device is also available.
Furthermore, we also provide imaging search for arteriosclerotic lesions by carotid ultrasound and brain dock at our affiliated facility “LOCO SCAN” in the same building.
Health Examination Result Follow-up
Many people do not know what to do after receiving a “re-examination required,” “detailed examination required,” or “medical care required” result comment from an annual company medical checkup, medical checkup at the time of employment, or specified medical checkup.
Each of these means that “another examination is needed to confirm whether the change is temporary”, “a more detailed examination is needed to confirm whether treatment is needed,” or “, “They need to be seen at a medical facility where they can be treated because they need treatment.”
If we are unable to handle your case, we will refer you to an appropriate medical institution.
Cold, Influenza, and Covid-19
The common cold is the most common cause of illness. The cause is an infection of the upper respiratory tract (nose, throat, bronchial tubes, etc.) caused by hundreds of different viruses, but generally there is no clear-cut cure and we must wait for natural improvement. The important points of medical treatment of cold are to share knowledge and explain about characteristic infections such as influenza and Covid-19, prescribe symptomatic treatment for cold symptoms and provide lifestyle guidance, and treat infections that require treatment such as bacterial sinusitis and streptococcal tonsillitis without overlooking them. The key point of cold treatment is to avoid overlooking infections such as bacterial sinusitis and streptococcal tonsillitis. We do not prescribe antibiotics for viral upper respiratory infections. Please refer to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's page on AMR measures. Regarding testing for Covid-19, we currently do not perform PCR testing, as we use the rapid antigen test and the NEAR method.
Fever and other infectious diseases
The most common cause of fever is an infectious disease, often a cold (viral upper respiratory infection), but also pneumonia, tonsillitis, sinusitis, infectious gastroenteritis, urinary tract infection, and many others.
In addition to infections, there are a wide variety of causes, including collagen diseases (SLE, rheumatism, etc.), malignant tumors (tumor fever), hormonal abnormalities (thyroid and adrenal gland), thrombosis (deep vein thrombosis), drug-induced fever, and physiological hyperthermia.
It is not necessary to see a doctor immediately after the onset of fever, but please consult with us if you are in too much pain or the fever is too persistent.
Outpatient Treatment of Mountain Sickness
When going to an altitude of 2,500 meters or more, there is a risk of developing acute mountain sickness. At high altitudes, the body is deprived of oxygen due to the decrease in atmospheric pressure, and if the body cannot acclimate, it generally takes 2 to 5 days to acclimate with symptoms such as headache, nausea, and insomnia.
Prevention includes 1) planning for slow altitude gain, 2) pre-travel training, 3) prevention of dehydration, 4) avoidance of alcohol consumption, and 5) medications, and Diamox (taken internally for a total of 4 days) is prescribed to prevent altitude sickness.
At the same time, we may prescribe painkillers and anti-nausea medications together, but please note that all of these will be at your own expense. The most reliable and important treatment is to reduce altitude, so please plan a reasonable itinerary.
Outpatient Headache Treatment
Headaches are caused by a wide variety of factors, including migraine, tension headache, and cluster headache, which are called primary headaches, and subarachnoid hemorrhage, stroke, brain tumor, meningitis, headaches associated with the common cold, and drug abuse headaches, which are called secondary headaches.
We will consider the cause of the headache together and provide appropriate examination, treatment, and lifestyle advice, while asking information such as whether the headache is chronic or acute, and other accompanying symptoms and aggravating factors. We can also search for the cause of headaches through imaging tests such as CT and MRI scans at our affiliated facility “LOCO SCAN” in the same building.
Anemia
Anemia is a condition in which the amount of red blood cells or hemoglobin in the blood is lower than normal. The most common cause is iron deficiency anemia, which is caused by a lack of iron. In women in particular, it is easily influenced by the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and lactation, and can lead to headaches, loss of appetite, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, poor concentration, fatigue, and malaise.
Other symptoms include anemia caused by vitamin or folic acid deficiency, and inflammatory or bleeding disorders may be lurking in the background.
After identifying the cause of anemia through examination and blood sampling, we provide advice on oral medication, injections, and lifestyle modification.
Emergency contraceptive after-pill prescription (out of your own pocket)
Emergency contraceptive after-pill prescription (out of your own pocket )
It is an emergency contraceptive method for those who have been unable to use contraception for some reason properly, and can be taken within 72 hours of sexual intercourse to prevent implantation.
The sooner the after-pill is taken after sexual intercourse, the more effective it is, and its contraceptive efficacy is said to be about 85%.
Side effects include nausea, diarrhea, headache, and irregular genital bleeding, but they are not often serious.
We prescribe the emergency contraceptive “levonorgestrel tablet 1.5 mg” (generic version) at your own expense (7,700 yen)
