What is a Physiatrist?

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.  

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, Hospice and Palliative Medicine, Neuromuscular Medicine, Pain Medicine, Pediatric Rehabilitation Medicine, Spinal Cord Injury Medicine, and/or Sports Medicine. 

Specifically, PM&R physicians:

• Treat patients of all ages
• Focus treatment on function
• Have a broad medical expertise that allows them to treat disabling conditions throughout a person’s lifetime
• Diagnose and treat pain as a result of an injury, illness, or disabling condition
• Determine and lead a treatment/prevention plan
• Lead a team of medical professionals, which may include physical therapists, occupational therapists, and physician extenders to optimize patient care
• Work with other physicians, which may include primary care physicians, neurologists, orthopedic surgeons, and many others.
• Treat the whole person, not just the problem area 

Depending on the injury, illness, or disabling condition, some PM&R physicians may treat their patients using the following procedures/services:

• EMG/Nerve Conduction Studies
• Ultrasound guided procedures
• Fluoroscopy guided procedures
• Injections of spine 
• Discography, Disc Decompression and Vertebroplasy/Kyphoplasty
• Nerve Stimulators, Blocks and Ablation procedures—Peripheral and Spinal
• Injections of joints
• Prolotherapy
• Spasticity Treatment (Phenol and Botulinum toxin injections, intrathecal baclofen pump trial and implants)
• Nerve and Muscle Biopsy
• Manual Medicine/Osteopathic Treatment
• Prosthetics and Orthotics
• Complementary-alternative medicine (i.e. acupuncture, etc.)
• Disability/impairment assessment
• Medicolegal consulting

Reference

1. http://www.physiatry.org/

2. https://www.hss.edu/what-is-physiatry.asp