What is Physiatry?
A physiatrist practices in the field of physiatry, also known as physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), which is a branch of medicine that specializes in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of patients who have been disabled, from a disease, condition, disorder, or injury, primarily using physical medicine, or “physical” means, including non-surgical methods, such as physical therapy and medications to treat the patient.
Essentially, physiatrists specialize in treating conditions of the musculoskeletal system (bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, tendons, and other structures), and the central/peripheral nervous system that affect a person’s ability to function. It is important to note that physiatrists do not perform surgery. A physiatrist’s treatment focuses on helping the patient become as functional and pain-free as possible in order to participate in and enjoy life as fully as possible.
Due to the broad spectrum of conditions treated and the comprehensive nature of their training, physiatrists are uniquely positioned to adapt to and design new technologies, as well as to the changing trends in healthcare. Areas of focus include:
1. Neurorehabilitation: Some examples include Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Stroke, Multiple Sclerosis, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Myasthenia Gravis, Parkinson’s Disease
2. Pain medicine: Chronic Pain Management, Complex Regional Pain Syndrome, Back Pain, Arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, etc.
3. Musculoskeletal care: Osteoarthritis, Osteoporosis, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Inflammatory Myopathies, Fibromyalgia, Spondyloarthropathies, Back Pain and Sacroiliac Joint Dysfunction
4. Sports injuries: Achilles Tendonitis, Iliotibial Band Syndrome, Turf Toe, Medial & Lateral Epicondylitis, DeQuervain’s Tenosynovitis, Rotator Cuff Pathology, Acromioclavicular Separation, Biceps Tendonitis, Stress Fractures, Concussion
5. Post-operative care: for Joint Replacement, Organ Transplantation, Amputations, Left-Ventricular Assistive Devices, Cardiac/Pulmonary Rehabilitation
6. Pediatric functional and developmental disorders: Such as Cerebral Palsy, Muscular Dystrophy, Spina Bifida, Down Syndrome
7. Prosthetics and Orthotics: For Gait and Movement Disorders, Assistive Devices and Ambulation Aids, Spinal Orthoses, Neuro-prostheses
8. Specialized rehabilitation: Concerning Fine Arts (music, dance, vocal), Cancer, Cardiac, Burns, Pulmonary, Family Training (for home care), Pelvic Pain, Alternative and Complementary Medicine, Palliative Care
Since the spine is the locus of most of the body’s musculoskeletal system, many physiatrists focus on treating back pain. For those who specialize with treating spinal problems, their focus may be more on rehabilitation or on injections (pain management), depending upon their training and personal preference. The following is a list of back conditions commonly treated by physiatrists:
· Back pain, sciatica
· Muscle and ligament injuries
· Work injuries
· Myofacial pain
· Fibromyalgia
· Spinal cord injury
· Osteoarthritis
· Ankylosing spondylitis
· Osteoporosis
Many physiatrists also serve to coordinate the patient’s care with a multidisciplinary team of other doctors and specialists, for example, physical therapists, spine surgeons, psychologists, chiropractors, and more.
To learn more about the field of physiatry, and how it may be able to help you, call Tucson Orthopaedic Institute at our East Tucson office at (520) 784-6200, Northwest Tucson office at (520) 382-8200, or Oro Valley office at (520) 544-9700. To request an appointment, you can call or use our secure online appointment request form.