Telemedicine has come a long way in the past decade, and its growth has further been accelerated by the stay at home orders induced by the COVID-19 pandemic. With telemedicine services, you get access to an online doctor 24/7 in Australia, regardless of where you are and what you need them for. All you need is a smartphone, tablet or desktop or laptop computer and a stable internet connection, and you can have a visit with a doctor at your convenience!

Here are 6 common health concerns online doctors can help with:

Colds

There’s a reason why the cold is often called the common cold—adults can experience it between 2 to 4 times a year, whereas children can get up to 10 colds a year! These statistics make it one of the most common reasons people head down to their GP. But because cold symptoms are usually mild and non-life-threatening, an online doctor is well placed to help you ease your symptoms when you’re feeling too tired to get out of bed.

The common cold can cause headaches, congestion, fatigue, muscle aches, yellow or green nasal discharge. Although rare, you may also experience fevers up to 38.8℃. Because up to 200 different viruses can cause colds, antibiotics do not cure a cold, but some over-the-counter medications may help provide relief. An online doctor can also write you a sick leave medical certificate if you need to take a day or two off work or school.

Flu

While often used interchangeably, colds and flu are two entirely different diseases caused by various viruses. There are over 200 viruses that can cause the common cold, but only the influenza virus causes flu. Flu symptoms are often more potent and severe than cold symptoms and can leave you feeling unwell for several weeks. The symptoms of flu also come on rather abruptly as compared to the common cold.

The onset of flu can leave you feeling weak, tired and feverish. Because it is a highly contagious disease, you are usually advised to stay away from other people until your symptoms have eased. This is what makes online doctor services such a valuable tool to have. Your online doctor can monitor your symptoms, prescribe medication and help you get better faster, all without exposing themselves or other people in their waiting rooms to your virus.

Allergies

Seasonal allergies, such as hay fever, can cause sneezing, watery eyes and a runny nose. Allergens may also cause coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing and chest tightness for people with preexisting respiratory issues.

An online doctor can help you manage your allergies by writing a repeat prescription for antihistamines, sending the prescription to your closest pharmacy for you to pick up whenever convenient for you. For long term asthma and allergy patients, making routine clinic visits can be inconvenient and time-consuming. Telemedicine makes it easier for patients to be on top of managing their allergies through a quick 10 minute chat with their doctor without spending time commuting or waiting in receptions.

 Migraines

People who regularly suffer from migraines know how debilitating they can feel. Severe migraines can cause weakness, nausea, sensitivity to light and sound and extreme pulsating pain on one or both sides of the head. It can affect a person’s ability to perform chores or their regular work and certain triggers may increase their occurrence.

An online doctor can help you manage your symptoms better and reduce the occurrence of these migraines by identifying your triggers, such as lack of sleep, anxiety or stress, reaction to certain ingredients or even hormonal changes.

Conjunctivitis

Commonly known as pink eye, conjunctivitis is a highly contagious disease of the eye that occurs when the clear tissue covering your eyeball and the inside of your eyelid becomes irritated and inflamed. It can cause itching, swelling, and redness, and the eye may release a sticky discharge. Because bacterial and viral pink eye is so contagious, you are usually advised to stay at home until the symptoms clear.

An online doctor can help you figure out what caused your pink eye: bacteria, virus, allergies, makeup, or contact lenses. They can then help you find relief from your symptoms with eyedrops, antibiotics, or antiviral infections, based on the cause of your pink eye.

UTIs

UTIs or Urinary Tract Infections are common bacterial infections that affect 1 in every 2 women at least once in their life. They are usually characterised by a frequent need to urinate but no urine coming out, burning or pain when urinating, and smelly, cloudy, dark or bloody urine. Because a doctor can usually diagnose a UTI just by its symptoms, n in-person visit is often not necessary.

An online doctor may prescribe a course of antibiotics to help you get rid of the bacteria causing your symptoms.

When you need a doctor quick and don’t want to spend time in reception, a telehealth service offering access to online doctors 24/7 in Australia may be just what you’re looking for!