Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) is focused on managing injuries and disorders without surgery. A Red Bank board certified physical medicine & rehabilitation physician diagnoses and treats injuries or illnesses that impact the way a person moves. Instead of looking at just a symptom or condition, PM&R looks at the whole person. This is often recommended for those managing different diseases and physical disabilities and those who have suffered a severe injury.
What Does a PM&R Doctor Do?
A PM&R or physiatrist usually works with a physical therapist to give patient care. They can diagnose and prescribe treatments and medications. They look at a patient’s overall health and develop a rehab plan that usually includes both medications and physical therapy.
A physiatrist is focused on restoring a patient’s mobility, alleviating their pain, improving their quality of life, and rehabilitating those who have physical impairments or disabilities using nonsurgical methods. They can offer care for those who suffered a stroke, spinal cord injury, brain injury, or musculoskeletal injury. They can also treat cognitive issues gait disorders, orthopedic anomalies, muscle stiffness, and muscle pain. In addition, a PM&R doctor can teach a patient some ways to improve their condition by themselves. This includes learning how to have good posture and adjust their everyday life to manage their pain.
Conditions a Physiatrist Can Help With
Those who have mobility problems may wish to visit a PM&R doctor. Also, those who have been involved in accidents and sustained injuries usually visit this doctor to regain mobility and manage their pain. Usually, those who are getting treatment for cancer or other major illnesses visit a physiatrist to move better, increase their energy, and control their pain.
Other patients who may want to go to a physiatrist include obese individuals who have a problem exercising, seniors who want to preserve their mobility, new mothers, and arthritis sufferers. A physiatrist can also treat other conditions such as neck pain, whiplash, car accident injuries, pinched nerves, repetitive motion injuries, tendonitis, work-related injuries, hip impingement, and more.
Will Surgery Be Necessary?
PM&R is aimed at getting an accurate diagnosis of a patient’s symptoms to identify the cause of their pain or mobility problems. From here, it aims to avoid surgery. A PM&R doctor pinpoints the pain’s source instead of just treating the symptoms. But, surgery cannot be avoided. In this case, the doctor will work with a surgeon to make sure the patient continues to get the best care. And if the patient needs additional care after surgery, a physiatrist can help them rehabilitate.