Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry)
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. By taking the whole body into account, they are able to accurately pinpoint problems and enhance performance without surgery.
What is PM&R?
Since the sensation of pain can vary from person to person and what helps relieve pain in one individual may not be as helpful to another, the practice of pain management uses an array of treatment methods. This is because the pain experienced can vary from mild to excruciating, episodic to continuous, and be inconvenient to completely incapacitating. If the pain is severe or is not going away, a pain management solution can be developed by a doctor experienced in pain management. Using skill and medical insights, pain management doctors listen to their patients then find solutions that will help the patient.Â
When to Plan a Visit?
- Burning sensation in the joint that never goes away
- Pain even when you’re not bearing weight on or using the affected joint
- Pain that intensifies at night or after bed
- Pain when bending or flexing a joint
- Shooting or stabbing pain that appears unexpectedly
What Conditions Could be Treated?
- Arthritis
- Chronic back pain
- Chronic muscle or joint pain
- Chronic neck pain
- Complex regional pain syndrome, reflex sympathetic dystrophy
- Headaches
- Herniated discs
- Sciatica
- Spinal nerve pain
- Sports-related injury pain
- Postsurgical pain