Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) physicians, also known as Physiatrists, treat a wide variety of medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons.
Physiatrists evaluate and treat injuries, illnesses, and disability, and are experts in conservative treatments – designing non-surgical comprehensive and patient-centered treatment plans – all to improve the quality of the patient’s life by restoring or improving function.
PM&R physicians are medical doctors who have completed training in the specialty of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R), and may be subspecialty certified in Brain Injury Medicine, Neuromuscular Medicine, Pain Management Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, and/or Sports Medicine.
Specifically, PM&R physicians:
- Have a medical degree, which is either a M.D. or D.O.
- Diagnose and treat pain as a result of an injury, illness, or disabling or chronic condition
- Focus treatment on restoring function using non-surgical techniques
- Work collaboratively with physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physician extenders to optimize patient care
- Work with other physicians, which may include primary care physicians, neurosurgeons, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, and others
- Treat the whole person, not just the problem area
How Physiatrists Diagnose and Treat
Depending on the injury, illness, or disabling or chronic condition, PM&R physicians may prescribe and treat their patients using some of the following procedures/services:
- Range of motion exams
- EMG/study to evaluate the electrical activity produced by skeletal muscles
- NCV/nerve conduction velocity study
- Brain injury assessment
- Epidural steroid injections
- Pain management
- Nerve stimulators, blocks and ablation procedures
- Prolotherapy (Regenerative injection therapy)
- Spasticity treatment (Phenol and Botulinum toxin injections, intrathecal baclofen pumps and implants)
- Nerve and muscle biopsy
- Manual medicine/osteopathic treatment
- Acupuncture
- Ultrasound guided procedures
- Fluoroscopy guided procedures
