The Basics Of Physiatry: Who Is It For?

When it comes to dealing with acute illnesses, injuries, and post-operative disorders, one of the primary things one can consider is to seek professional help from a licensed doctor. However, finding the right physician for specific health conditions could be tricky, especially for first-timers. In cases of physical illnesses and musculoskeletal disorders, many patients tend to look for an orthopedic surgeon, sports medicine doctor, or a chiropractor. But, the treatment options aren’t only limited within these medical practitioners. 

There are other alternatives and methods one can take to better deal with such concerns. Physiatry, in particular, could be of great value for people suffering from chronic pains and illnesses. Although it’s considered as one of the lesser-known practices in the medical field, physiatry could help people in many ways, especially in treating conditions of the bones, nerves, muscles, and joints. To know more about this practice, continue reading this article.  

Physiatry: What Is It And How Does It Work?  

Despite the numerous innovations and advancements in the medical field, as well as the overwhelming number of treatment options to choose from, many people are still having a hard time dealing with certain health issues, including signs of musculoskeletal disorders and recurrent ailments. If you’re one of these people, it’d be better to seek help from reliable service providers, like https://www.eastidspine.com/, to obtain higher chances of recovery. 

Although some people aren’t familiar with this discipline, physiatry is crucial in helping people determine the underlying factors that lead to their current situations and finding a solution to their problems. It’d also help prevent risks of post-operative complications. 

To have a better understanding of this particular aspect, here are some important pieces of information about physiatry you must know about:     

• Intrinsically, physiatry is a branch of medicine that mainly focuses on the assessment, diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation, and prevention of illnesses related to the brain, muscles, bones, and nerves. It’s also primarily inclined in assisting people to properly manage their health conditions and prevent the risks of complications.     
• Commonly known as rehabilitation medicine, one of the primary goals of physiatry is to promote treatment for musculoskeletal diseases and other pain-inducing illnesses. It also aims to provide a cure for certain diseases that’d induce temporary or permanent functional impairments.   
• Not only that, but physiatry also proves to be beneficial in treating conditions related to the central and peripheral nervous systems. 
• Physiatry utilizes far-ranging and multifaceted approaches to better identify the factors that lead to a patient’s medical condition and formulate an appropriate treatment option for them.   
• Besides that, physiatry also utilizes numerous alternatives and methods to treat musculoskeletal disorders, including medical approaches, physical therapy, and the use of pain treatments and anti-inflammatory medications.      
• Some of the primary goals of physiatry are to reduce physical pain, promote physical functioning among patients, and prevent threats of chronic pain and physical impairment.   
• Additionally, one of the focal points of physiatry involves providing comprehensive and patient-centered treatment schemes that’d efficiently help patients recover their functional wellbeing. 

Who Is Physiatry For?  

Despite being often overlooked by some people, physiatry proves to be beneficial in treating far-ranging types of illnesses and diseases, aside from focusing on non-surgical treatments. It also promotes non-invasive medical procedures and provides secondary prevention of debilitating ailments for certain types of patients, including pain sufferers, accident victims, and aged people.

Somehow similar to rheumatologists, physiatrists, who practice physiatry, deal with far-ranging types of musculoskeletal diseases and perform various types of non-surgical medications to treat maladies related to the bones, nerves, and muscles. 

Physiatrists could also treat various types of musculoskeletal problems, such as numerous forms of arthritis, spondyloarthropathies, and other spinal conditions. Additionally, they could help manage cases of backaches, neck pain, stroke, arthritis, herniated disc, and neuromuscular disorders.  

Besides that, physiatrists could assist patients suffering from other types of illnesses and diseases, which may include:  

• People With Neck And Back Pain 

Among the other vital parts and organs in one’s body, the spine can be considered one of the most important. Aside from the fact that it provides support for the body, the spine is also made to safeguard the spinal cord. Besides that, it also allows people to move freely, bend flexibly, and stand upright without any hassle, as well as provides structure to the body. 

Intrinsically, the spine is made up of 24 soft and sponge-like discs stacked on top of each other to form the spinal column. These discs are mainly attached to the nerves, muscles, ad ligaments that help absorb pressure and prevent bones from rubbing with each other. Despite being relatively strong and durable, the spine could still suffer from certain conditions, like pain, due to numerous factors. 

Among the most common aspects that’d lead to such a condition may include overuse, injuries, arthritis, osteoporosis, and other similar degenerative disorders. When it comes to its symptoms, back pain could be characterized by mild to an extreme feeling of constant or intermittent pain. 

In treating neck and back pain, some of the most common alternatives you can consider may include various types of medications, injections, activity modifications, alternative treatments, or physical therapy. If things go out of hand, you can also consider surgical treatments.   

• People Suffering From Concussions 

Apart from people with neck and back pain, another type of patient that could be treated by a physiatrist is those suffering from concussion. Although some people would think that a single concussion wouldn’t cause significant effects on one’s body, having to suffer from a lot of them could leave lingering impacts on one’s normal functioning. 

In its simplest form, a concussion is a type of traumatic brain injury that’s a result of a forceful or sudden bump, jolt, or blow to the head. It could be an after-effect of a fall or a slip that causes one’s head and brain to move rapidly back and forth. While it’s been stated that concussions aren’t typically life-threatening, they could affect one’s normal functioning in many ways. 

Some of the apparent symptoms of concussion may include clumsiness, speech disorder, constant confusion, and other behavioral changes. A person who’s suffering from a concussion might also experience dizziness, puzzlement, difficulty in speaking, and memory loss.   

To better handle this condition, it’d be better to consult your physician immediately or hire a physiatrist who’d look after your condition and determine adequate treatment options for you. Apart from that, here are some effective ways to treat concussions:  

• Cognitive assessment 
• Speech therapy 
• Visual acuity test 
• Balance assessment 
• Physical therapy 

• People With Rheumatoid Arthritis 

Although commonly associated with arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) differs from the former health issue in many ways. Specifically, RA is a type of autoimmune disease that’s a result of certain instances when one’s immune system mistakenly attacks their joint linings and body tissues.   

Numerous symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis could occur in certain areas, such as the eyes, skin, blood, heart, nerves, and lungs. Although this condition isn’t a new concept in the medical field, many people are having a hard time dealing with its symptoms. Fortunately, there are now a lot of treatment options one could choose from to efficiently handle their situation.   

If you’re having a hard time managing symptoms of RA, then that might be the right time to hire a physiatrist. In such aspects, a licensed physiatrist could help promote proper pain management, control inflammation, and prevent risks of complications. You may also want to consider other alternative treatments for your condition, which may include medications, physical therapy, and occupational therapy. 

Additionally, here are some of the most popular medication options for people with rheumatoid arthritis: 

• Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) 
• Disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) 
• Biologics 
• Steroids 

• People With Tendinitis 

Also recognized as the inflammation of tendons, tendinitis is a condition characterized by acute inflammation in the connective joints between one’s tendons and bones. One of the primary things one must know about this condition is that it could occur due to repetitive activities.  

In most cases, people with tendinitis could experience painful sensations in their elbows, knees, hips, and shoulders. Aside from that, they could feel aches around the joints near the shoulders, wrists, or ankles. Along with other known symptoms, tendinitis could result in mild or extreme swelling and stiffness, which could restrict the movements of the affected joints.  

In treating tendinitis, a physiatrist could introduce you to certain treatment options, which may include the RICE treatment and using anti-inflammatory drugs and aspirin. 

Final Thoughts  

Dealing with certain types of health conditions, such as chronic pain, acute illnesses, injuries, and post-operative complications could be challenging, especially if you lack adequate knowledge about how to do so. Fortunately, there are various alternatives and methods one can consider to better resolve their health concerns. 

As a rule of thumb, you must first consult a licensed physician before seeking various types of treatments and medications to avoid compromising your health. Particularly, it’d be better to seek help from licensed physiatrists immediately after noticing symptoms of musculoskeletal conditions and other types of ailments. By doing that, you have better chances of handling health conditions and getting back to your old, normal life.