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Physiatrists and their role in healthcare

Physiatrists are also called Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) physicians and they diagnose and treat diseases affecting physical and cognitive functioning. This includes conditions of the brain, nerves, spinal cord, bones, muscles, joints, ligaments, and tendons. They design comprehensive treatment plans for their patients after considering how a patient's medical condition affects all aspects of their life, including their workplace and home.

Physiatry takes a holistic approach (focuses on the "whole person") and aims to maximize physical functioning, decrease pain, and improve the quality of life for those living with a disability, chronic pain, and physical impairments. Physiatry combines physical therapy with pain treatments to prevent patients from undergoing surgery. The discipline of physical medicine and rehabilitation started in the 1930s to deal with neurological and musculoskeletal problems. 

After the Second World War, thousands of retired soldiers returned to the US with severe disabilities. The duty of helping restore them to productive lives fell on the physiatrists. Notably, PM&R was granted the status of a specialty of medicine by the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) in the year 1947.

Physiatrists manage medication and many procedures. They work closely with doctors from other departments – primary care physicians (PCPs), cardiologists, occupational medicine physicians, neurosurgeons, orthopedic surgeons, oncologists, and neurologists – to provide seamless, patient-centered care.

Medical conditions diagnosed by a physiatrist and the methods of diagnosis

Physiatrists may prescribe the following diagnostic tests:

• Electromyography (EMG) - This diagnostic test assesses the health of muscles and motor neurons (the nerve cells that control muscles). A physiatrist will administer this test if a patient displays symptoms like tingling, muscle weakness, numbness, muscle cramping, or limb pain. It is used to detect muscle dysfunction, nerve dysfunction, or issues with nerve-to-muscle signal transmission. For EMG, electrodes are used to translate electrical activity from the muscles onto graphs, sounds, or numerical values. A specialist interprets these results. Also, electrodes could be inserted directly into a muscle (needle electrodes) to record electrical signals from motor neurons or applied onto the skin as stickers (surface electrodes) to measure the strength and the speed of signals traveling between two points.

• Joint & soft tissue injections - These injections are given in a soft tissue area or a joint to either administer medicine or take out fluid. The most commonly injected drugs are anti-inflammatory medicines. This procedure can also help in diagnosing gout, rheumatism, joint swelling, tendonitis, carpal tunnel syndrome, arthritis, and bursitis. Usually, a local anesthetic or oral pain reliever is given before the injection to numb the pain.

• Nerve conduction velocity (NCV) test - This test is also called a nerve conduction study and can detect nerve damage. It measures how fast an electrical impulse moves through the nerve. During the test, one electrode stimulates the nerve using an electrical impulse while another electrode records the resulting electrical activity. The NCV test can be used to check conditions like Guillain-Barré syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease, herniated disk disease, sciatic nerve problems, and chronic inflammatory polyneuropathy and neuropathy, among others.

• Diagnostic spinal injections – These can be used to treat pain or diagnose the source of neck or back pain. Only an anesthetic is injected, and the response is monitored. If the pain vanishes, the root of the pain is that specific nerve where the injection was given. If not, it means that there is another pain source.

• Musculoskeletal ultrasound - This imaging procedure uses sound waves, which allows doctors to see muscles and joints. Ultrasound can diagnose muscle tears or strains, rheumatoid arthritis, tendonitis, bursitis, joint problems, rotator cuff tears, and masses such as cysts and tumors.

Finding the best physiatrist in Brooklyn, New York

It is essential to consult a physiatrist that's right for you. To find experienced physiatrists quickly in Brooklyn, New York, you can rely on Zocdoc.

It's easy to schedule appointments on Zocdoc. All you need to do is visit the Zocdoc website and sign up for free. You can then search using details such as the name of your condition, your symptoms, the treatment you are seeking, your health insurance provider and plan, the kind of specialist you want to visit, etc. Zocdoc's algorithm will search through its extensive database and show you the results matching your preferences. You can choose the doctor you want from this list of top-rated physiatrists.

We recommend that you select an in-network doctor, meaning someone who accepts your healthcare plan. Doing so ensures that your insurance covers your treatment, and you don't have to pay out of pocket.

Ideally, it would be best if you chose a doctor who practices near your residence, so it is convenient to visit them. You can also view the doctors' schedules and pick an appointment slot that suits you. You can schedule both in-person and online consultations with your preferred physiatrist on Zocdoc.

Further, you can click on a doctor's Zocdoc profile to learn more about them. This section mentions their medical background, the languages they speak, typical wait time, qualifications and awards, hospital affiliations, and other relevant details. Before deciding on a doctor, you must also browse the reviews written by other patients who have previously visited the doctor.

All bookings made on Zocdoc are simple, secure, and 100% free!

Physiatrist statistics in Brooklyn, New York

According to Stanford Medicine, around 34–43 million people in America have some kind of disability. About 70 million adults in the US suffer from chronic pain.

Further, about 9 million people are severely disabled and cannot do daily activities without personal assistance. Notably, stroke is the most prominent reason for severe long-term disability among US adults.

Around 2 million people in the US experience a traumatic brain injury (TBI) each year and nearly 7800 people suffer from a traumatic spinal cord injury (SCI) annually.

Sources

PennMedicine

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (AAPM&R) 

Mayo Clinic

American Family Physician   

Johns Hopkins Medicine 

American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons 

Yale Medicine

Stanford Medicine

The content herein is provided for general informational purposes only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Medical information changes constantly, and therefore the content on this website should not be assumed to be current, complete or exhaustive. Always seek the advice of your doctor before starting or changing treatment. If you think you may have a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 9-1-1 immediately.