Primary Care

Primary care providers give you all the advice and support you need to stay healthy, as well as delivering expert diagnosis and treatment. At Rios Healthcare Associates in Houston, Texas, Tomas Rios, MD, Nicolin Neal, and the team provide high-quality primary care services such as chronic and acute disease management, preventive care, and specialized men’s and women’s health care. To find out more, talk to the Rios Healthcare Associates team about their primary care services. Call the office today or book an appointment online.

What is primary care?

Primary care providers like Rios Healthcare Associates offer a full range of services that cater to all your everyday health needs. Unless it’s an emergency (such as heart attack symptoms or uncontrollable bleeding) and you need immediate hospital treatment, your primary care provider is the place to go.

The Rios Healthcare Associates team has undergone specialized internal medicine training to provide comprehensive primary care to adults. The practice also has onsite testing facilities so you avoid the hassle of going elsewhere for lab tests or X-rays.

What preventive services does primary care provide?

Preventive care aims to help you avoid getting preventable diseases and identify medical problems early on when they’re easier to treat. It includes services such as:

• Annual check-ups
• Blood sugar measurement
• Cholesterol checks
• Blood pressure monitoring
• Cancer screening
• Immunizations
• Mental health and dementia screening
• Diet and nutrition counseling
• Help to quit smoking
• Weight loss support
• Stress management

Rios Healthcare Associates also offers services like sexually transmitted disease (STD) testing, medication management, and family planning advice.

Can I visit my primary care provider for an urgent health problem?

Primary care practices are the best place to go if you have any acute symptoms or illnesses, including:

• Colds, flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19
• Rashes
• Fevers
• Earache
• Conjunctivitis (pink eye)
• Diarrhea or constipation
• Nausea and vomiting
• Sore throats
• Sinus infections
• Headaches and migraines
• Urinary tract infections (UTI)

In addition, the team treats mild to moderate back pain, wounds, asthma attacks, and injuries like sprains and strains.

Your provider can also ensure you don’t have complications like bacterial pneumonia or bronchitis that require antibiotic treatment (antibiotics do not affect viruses) and advise you on how to get better more quickly.

How does primary care help with long-term health problems?

Rios Healthcare Associates provides expert chronic disease management services for patients with long-term health conditions. Chronic diseases persist for many months, most lasting for years or even a lifetime.

These conditions, which include heart disease, chronic pain disorders, mental health problems, diabetes, and arthritis, need regular check-ups and routine monitoring. You might need tests or procedures at frequent intervals, which the team can provide onsite. They also help you manage your symptoms and get the best results from your treatment.

To learn more about the extensive primary care provision Rios Healthcare Associates offers, call the office or book an appointment online today.