Why Visit a Rehabilitation Physician?
Rehabilitation physicians are nerve, muscle, and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move. By taking the whole body into account, they are able to accurately pinpoint problems and enhance performance without surgery. Consider seeing a rehabilitation physician if
· You had an accident or you have an injury or chronic condition that has left you with pain or limited
function
· You’re contemplating or recovering from surgery
· You have an illness or treatment for an illness that has diminished your energy or ability to move easily
· You’re recovering from the effects of a stroke or other problems related to nerve damage
· You have chronic pain from arthritis, a repetitive stress injury, or back problems
· Excess weight makes it difficult to exercise or has caused health problems
· You think you’re too old to exercise
· Life changes such as childbirth or menopause have created new challenges to your physical function
Getting started
A rehabilitation physician will thoroughly assess your condition, needs, and expectations and rule out any serious medical illnesses to develop a treatment plan. A clear understanding of your condition and limitations will help you and your rehabilitation physician to develop a treatment plan suited to your unique needs.
Tailoring your plan
You need the right type of exercise to effectively overcome fitness obstacles. A runner may have gained weight after being sidelined by a knee injury. A rehabilitation physician can prescribe tailored, low-impact activities that burn calories without aggravating the injury, simultaneously prescribing physical therapy and use of a brace to strengthen and support the knee. Another patient may be suffering from chronic neck pain. The rehabilitation physician might prescribe medication, stretching, and massage for short-term pain relief, as well as strengthening exercises to prevent future pain. If surgery is a necessity, rehabilitation physicians work with patients and their surgeons before and after surgery. By directing your treatment team and collaborating with other health care professionals, a rehabilitation physician is able to specially design a treatment program tailored to you.
Understanding and identifying your goals
Do you want to strengthen an injured muscle, find relief from chronic pain, or walk up the stairs without being winded? A rehabilitation physician can work with you to determine realistic short- and long-term goals. Along the way, he or she will help you to find relief from pain, achieve successes in rehabilitation or exercise programs, overcome your setbacks, and reassess your goals if necessary.
How can I locate a rehabilitation physician?
There are more than 7,500 rehabilitation physicians practicing in the United States today. As a public service, the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) provides listings of its member rehabilitation physicians by state.
=====What PM&R
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Established Medical Specialty
Maximize or restore function
Quality of life specialty
=====-What condition do PM&R Treat?
Low Back Pain Sport related injury Birth defect Trauma Recovery Spinal cord injury Multiple Sclerosis Brain injury Stroke Amputation Nerve injury Neck pain Arthritis Tendinitis Work related injury (occupational Disease ) repetitive stress injury Muscular dystrophy
=====Advanced Diagnosis and treatment
Physical Therapy prescription medicine Injection technique pain management (ultrasound guided injection) Manual medicine
=======The PM&R Approach
Comprehensive care Individualized approach preventive medicine Non surgical Treatment Goal directed care
=====Low back pain statistic
4 Out of 5 Americans experience low back pain.Is the most frequent cause of disability. Estimated annual cost to society $20-450 Billion. Second most common reason for primary care visit.
Patients report greater relief from low back pain when treated br PM&R Physician.
What is physical medicine and rehabilitation?
Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), also called physiatry, is the branch of medicine emphasizing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders - particularly related to the nerves, muscles, and bones - that may produce temporary or permanent impairment.
What is a rehabilitation physician?
Rehabilitation physicians are nerve, muscle, and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move. Rehabilitation physicians treat a wide range of problems from sore shoulders to spinal cord injuries. Their goal is to decrease pain and enhance performance without surgery.
What is the rehabilitation physician’s role in treatment?
Once they have a diagnosis, rehabilitation physicians design a treatment plan that can be carried out by the patients themselves or with the help of the rehabilitation physician’s medical team. This interdisciplinary medical team may include medical professionals such as neurologists, psychiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, and urologists, and non-physician health professionals such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, vocational counselors, psychologists and social workers. The team is different for each patient, and the team's composition changes during treatment to match the patient's shifting needs. By providing an appropriate treatment plan, rehabilitation physicians help patients stay as active as possible at any age. Their broad medical expertise allows them to treat disabling conditions throughout a person’s lifetime.
What is the scope of the rehabilitation physician’s practice?
PM&R is often called the quality of life profession because its aim is to enhance patient performance. The job of a rehabilitation physician is to treat any disability resulting from disease or injury involving any organ system. The focus is not on one part of the body, but instead on the development of a comprehensive program for putting the pieces of a person's life back together - medically, socially, emotionally, and vocationally - after injury or disease. The problems that rehabilitation physicians manage span the entire spectrum, from the most complicated multiple trauma to injury prevention for athletes. Some rehabilitation physicians have broad-based practices that encompass many different types of patients. Others pursue special interests and focus on specific groups or problems. For example, sports medicine has grown as a special interest. Rehabilitation physicians who focus on sports medicine treat sports-related injuries, develop programs to help athletes avoid injury, and may do research in the field.
What kind of training do rehabilitation physicians have?
To become a rehabilitation physician, individuals must graduate from medical school followed by four additional years of postdoctoral training in a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency. This includes one year developing fundamental clinical skills and three additional years of training in the full scope of the specialty. There are currently 80 accredited residency programs in physical medicine and rehabilitation in the United States. Many rehabilitation physicians choose to pursue additional advanced degrees (MS, PhD) or complete fellowship training in a specific area of the specialty. Fellowships are available for specialized study in such areas as musculoskeletal rehabilitation, pediatrics, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and sports medicine.
To become board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, rehabilitation physicians are required to take both a written and oral examination administered by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR). The ABPMR also has agreements with each of the boards of pediatrics, internal medicine, and neurology to allow special training programs leading to certification in both specialties.
How did the specialty develop?
The field of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) began in the 1930s to address musculoskeletal and neurological problems, but broadened its scope considerably after World War II. As thousands of veterans came back to the United States with serious disabilities, the task of helping to restore them to productive lives became a new direction for the field. The Advisory Board of Medical Specialties granted PM&R its approval as a specialty of medicine in 1947.
Where do rehabilitation physicians practice?
Rehabilitation physicians practice in rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and in private offices. They often have broad practices, but some concentrate on one area such as pediatrics, sports medicine, geriatric medicine, brain injury, and many other special interests.
Rehabilitation physicians are nerve, muscle, and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move. By taking the whole body into account, they are able to accurately pinpoint problems and enhance performance without surgery. Consider seeing a rehabilitation physician if
· You had an accident or you have an injury or chronic condition that has left you with pain or limited
function
· You’re contemplating or recovering from surgery
· You have an illness or treatment for an illness that has diminished your energy or ability to move easily
· You’re recovering from the effects of a stroke or other problems related to nerve damage
· You have chronic pain from arthritis, a repetitive stress injury, or back problems
· Excess weight makes it difficult to exercise or has caused health problems
· You think you’re too old to exercise
· Life changes such as childbirth or menopause have created new challenges to your physical function
Getting started
A rehabilitation physician will thoroughly assess your condition, needs, and expectations and rule out any serious medical illnesses to develop a treatment plan. A clear understanding of your condition and limitations will help you and your rehabilitation physician to develop a treatment plan suited to your unique needs.
Tailoring your plan
You need the right type of exercise to effectively overcome fitness obstacles. A runner may have gained weight after being sidelined by a knee injury. A rehabilitation physician can prescribe tailored, low-impact activities that burn calories without aggravating the injury, simultaneously prescribing physical therapy and use of a brace to strengthen and support the knee. Another patient may be suffering from chronic neck pain. The rehabilitation physician might prescribe medication, stretching, and massage for short-term pain relief, as well as strengthening exercises to prevent future pain. If surgery is a necessity, rehabilitation physicians work with patients and their surgeons before and after surgery. By directing your treatment team and collaborating with other health care professionals, a rehabilitation physician is able to specially design a treatment program tailored to you.
Understanding and identifying your goals
Do you want to strengthen an injured muscle, find relief from chronic pain, or walk up the stairs without being winded? A rehabilitation physician can work with you to determine realistic short- and long-term goals. Along the way, he or she will help you to find relief from pain, achieve successes in rehabilitation or exercise programs, overcome your setbacks, and reassess your goals if necessary.
How can I locate a rehabilitation physician?
There are more than 7,500 rehabilitation physicians practicing in the United States today. As a public service, the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) provides listings of its member rehabilitation physicians by state.
=====What PM&R
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Established Medical Specialty
Maximize or restore function
Quality of life specialty
=====-What condition do PM&R Treat?
Low Back Pain Sport related injury Birth defect Trauma Recovery Spinal cord injury Multiple Sclerosis Brain injury Stroke Amputation Nerve injury Neck pain Arthritis Tendinitis Work related injury (occupational Disease ) repetitive stress injury Muscular dystrophy
=====Advanced Diagnosis and treatment
Physical Therapy prescription medicine Injection technique pain management (ultrasound guided injection) Manual medicine
=======The PM&R Approach
Comprehensive care Individualized approach preventive medicine Non surgical Treatment Goal directed care
=====Low back pain statistic
4 Out of 5 Americans experience low back pain.Is the most frequent cause of disability. Estimated annual cost to society $20-450 Billion. Second most common reason for primary care visit.
Patients report greater relief from low back pain when treated br PM&R Physician.
What is physical medicine and rehabilitation?
Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), also called physiatry, is the branch of medicine emphasizing the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of disorders - particularly related to the nerves, muscles, and bones - that may produce temporary or permanent impairment.
What is a rehabilitation physician?
Rehabilitation physicians are nerve, muscle, and bone experts who treat injuries or illnesses that affect how you move. Rehabilitation physicians treat a wide range of problems from sore shoulders to spinal cord injuries. Their goal is to decrease pain and enhance performance without surgery.
What is the rehabilitation physician’s role in treatment?
Once they have a diagnosis, rehabilitation physicians design a treatment plan that can be carried out by the patients themselves or with the help of the rehabilitation physician’s medical team. This interdisciplinary medical team may include medical professionals such as neurologists, psychiatrists, orthopedic surgeons, and urologists, and non-physician health professionals such as physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech pathologists, vocational counselors, psychologists and social workers. The team is different for each patient, and the team's composition changes during treatment to match the patient's shifting needs. By providing an appropriate treatment plan, rehabilitation physicians help patients stay as active as possible at any age. Their broad medical expertise allows them to treat disabling conditions throughout a person’s lifetime.
What is the scope of the rehabilitation physician’s practice?
PM&R is often called the quality of life profession because its aim is to enhance patient performance. The job of a rehabilitation physician is to treat any disability resulting from disease or injury involving any organ system. The focus is not on one part of the body, but instead on the development of a comprehensive program for putting the pieces of a person's life back together - medically, socially, emotionally, and vocationally - after injury or disease. The problems that rehabilitation physicians manage span the entire spectrum, from the most complicated multiple trauma to injury prevention for athletes. Some rehabilitation physicians have broad-based practices that encompass many different types of patients. Others pursue special interests and focus on specific groups or problems. For example, sports medicine has grown as a special interest. Rehabilitation physicians who focus on sports medicine treat sports-related injuries, develop programs to help athletes avoid injury, and may do research in the field.
What kind of training do rehabilitation physicians have?
To become a rehabilitation physician, individuals must graduate from medical school followed by four additional years of postdoctoral training in a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency. This includes one year developing fundamental clinical skills and three additional years of training in the full scope of the specialty. There are currently 80 accredited residency programs in physical medicine and rehabilitation in the United States. Many rehabilitation physicians choose to pursue additional advanced degrees (MS, PhD) or complete fellowship training in a specific area of the specialty. Fellowships are available for specialized study in such areas as musculoskeletal rehabilitation, pediatrics, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury, and sports medicine.
To become board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, rehabilitation physicians are required to take both a written and oral examination administered by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR). The ABPMR also has agreements with each of the boards of pediatrics, internal medicine, and neurology to allow special training programs leading to certification in both specialties.
How did the specialty develop?
The field of physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) began in the 1930s to address musculoskeletal and neurological problems, but broadened its scope considerably after World War II. As thousands of veterans came back to the United States with serious disabilities, the task of helping to restore them to productive lives became a new direction for the field. The Advisory Board of Medical Specialties granted PM&R its approval as a specialty of medicine in 1947.
Where do rehabilitation physicians practice?
Rehabilitation physicians practice in rehabilitation centers, hospitals, and in private offices. They often have broad practices, but some concentrate on one area such as pediatrics, sports medicine, geriatric medicine, brain injury, and many other special interests.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Kioomars Moosazadeh, M.D.
