What Does a Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Doctor Do?

For complex medical issues, if the problem is related to the kidney, you see a nephrologist, for the lungs, a pulmonologist, and the heart, a cardiologist. These referrals are typically clear and straightforward. However, if you have a complex medical issue related to function such as difficulty walking, pain, or deconditioning, who do you see? Options include an orthopedic surgeon, neurologist, neurosurgeon, physical therapist, chiropractor, acupuncturist, rheumatologist, personal trainer, and many more.

Each specialty has expertise in treating different aspects of function, from optimizing movement to bone repair to pain management strategies. However, each specialist’s ability to triage and identify the services needed by other specialists may be limited.

Using the analogy of building a house, neurosurgery might be the electrician, orthopedics the carpenter, and physical therapy the plumber. If you know the home’s problem is related to the piping, calling a plumber is the most efficient and cost-effective method to resolve the problem and accomplish your goal. However, in more complex situations, it is helpful to have a building contractor oversee, triage, and manage the work of each service provider.

That’s where physical medicine and rehabilitation, or PM&R, physicians come in. PM&R doctors are the building contractors; they specialize in optimizing function and can treat a wide variety of medical conditions that affect the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. PM&R physicians receive a minimum of four years in additional training after medical school where they collaborate with all function-related specialties.

PM&R physicians can help treat individuals non-surgically who have conditions including, but not limited to:

• Spinal cord injuries
  • Multiple sclerosis
  • Brain injuries
  • Amputations
  • Chronic neuromuscular conditions
  • Sports injuries
  • Chronic pain

While capable of treating many conditions related to function, PM&R doctors’ skills lie in utilizing an interdisciplinary team-based approach. PM&R physicians can prescribe therapy, medications, and radiology in addition to performing injections and referring to other providers. Through functional evaluation and collaborative goal setting, we aim to holistically optimize well-being and quality of life. This may include just one or two visits to diagnose, refer, and follow therapy progress, or may include more long-term medical management in collaboration with other medical specialties.

If you or a loved one have a condition that could benefit from working with a PM&R physician, contact us to see how Sheltering Arms Institute may be able to help.