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Who is a physiatrist?

Physiatrists are medical practitioners who treat various medical conditions affecting the brain, nerves, bones, spinal cord, joints, muscles, ligaments, etc. Also referred to as physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physicians, many physiatrists also attain specializations in brain injury medicine, pediatric rehabilitation medicine, neuromuscular medicine, pain medicine, sports medicine, etc.

Physiatrists can treat people of all ages. They focus on the functioning of body parts and work towards enhancing their activity. Their broad range of medical expertise allows them to treat conditions that may be disabling in nature. They can diagnose the causes of pain, such as an injury or illness, and create and lead a treatment plan.

Physiatrists typically lead a team of medical professionals, including occupational therapists, physical therapists, physician extenders, etc. They also often collaborate with other doctors, such as neurologists, physicians, orthopedic surgeons, etc. 

Education and training of physiatrists

After graduating from medical school, an aspiring physiatrist must pursue four years of postdoctoral training. This training involves a physical medicine and rehabilitation residency with about one year spent developing fundamental clinical skills. The remaining three years are spent training in the full scope of the specialty. Following this, many physiatrists pursue additional advanced degrees or fellowship training in a specific specialty area. 

Fellowship options include pediatrics, spinal cord injury, musculoskeletal rehabilitation, traumatic brain injury, and sports medicine. The American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPMR) offers board certification for rehabilitation physicians. Other subspecialties include brain injury medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, sports medicine, neuromuscular medicine, pediatric rehabilitation medicine, pain medicine, and spinal cord injury.

Are physiatrists and physical therapists the same?

Physiatrists and physical therapists both help alleviate pain by using their training. However, physiatrists are medical doctors who attend medical school where they study rehabilitation and physical medicine. They can also diagnose, prescribe medications, and design tailor-made exercise programs. Physical therapists who are not medical doctors utilize these medications and exercises. They are also not licensed to prescribe medicines or treatment regimens. Their focus is efficiently implementing treatment programs prepared by physiatrists and other doctors.

When must you see a physiatrist?

Chronic pain, if left unattended, can cause significant problems such as reducing the quality of life, restricting daily activities, and causing an increase in the rates of depression and anxiety. It may also increase the risk of health problems such as respiratory infections, reduced mobility, heart disease, etc. Thus, seeing a physiatrist near you is essential if need be. Some common issues can be short-term pain from an injury, chronic health conditions, age-related declining mobility, etc. The following are signs of a need to see a physiatrist: 

1) You have limited energy: This can signify an illness or a by-product of its treatment. This fatigue can result in difficulty moving quickly, reaching exercise goals, or avoiding injury. 

2) You struggle to complete everyday activities: Injuries or accidents can often limit function or cause recurring pain affecting daily activities such as standing up, climbing stairs, resting comfortably, etc. 

3) You are due to get surgery or are recovering from one: Undergoing surgery can be traumatic for the body. A physiatrist-developed surgical plan can help prepare your body for surgery and streamline your path to recovery. 

4) You are undergoing a life change: Pregnancy, childbirth, menopause, aging, etc., can create new challenges for the body to function correctly. 

If you have any of the mentioned difficulties, schedule a session with a physiatrist who can help you overcome them. They can also assist in managing ongoing discomfort due to obesity, back pain, nerve damage, arthritis, stroke, etc. Physiatrists consider all aspects of your life, i.e., focusing on the person's overall health because many factors in the patient's life may be affecting their disability and causing chronic pain.

What does a physiatrist do?

When you schedule an appointment with a physiatrist near you, they will assess your condition by asking questions about symptoms and your medical history. These will help them determine whether you have a chronic illness or pain and set long-term goals for recovery and rehabilitation. You can also discuss any specific needs, expectations, or queries during this time.

Physiatrists perform physical examinations and imaging studies and take note of the patient's medical history. They also use electrodiagnostic medicine techniques and nerve conduction studies to diagnose nerve conditions that may be causing pain, numbness, or weakness. Physiatrists promptly act on such symptoms before they manifest into physically impairing conditions like a pinched nerve in the spine (radiculopathy) or carpal tunnel syndrome. 

Upon arriving at a diagnosis, your physiatrist will discuss the next steps. They will tailor the treatment plan to your requirements and overall health.

A physiatrist may recommend other diagnostic tests and treatments — prosthetics or orthotics, electromyography (EMG), therapeutic exercises, and interventional spinal therapeutics. They may recommend pain medications, musculoskeletal ultrasound, spasticity management, soft tissue, spine, and joint injections.

If surgery is necessary or is the only viable option, the physiatrist will collaborate with you and the surgeon before and after the procedure.

What procedures do physiatrists perform?

Physiatrists perform various procedures to diagnose and treat musculoskeletal and neurological conditions. One common procedure is electromyography (EMG), where fine needle electrodes are inserted into muscles to assess their performance and the functioning of the nerves. It helps determine whether issues are due to muscle weakness or nerve dysfunction. Additionally, physiatrists conduct nerve conduction studies (NCS) using electrodes to locate injuries within the nervous system.

Physiatrists may administer trigger point injections to manage pain, which involve injecting an anesthetic or performing dry needling on specific muscle areas to alleviate discomfort. They also utilize musculoskeletal ultrasound, an imaging technique that uses sound waves to create pictures of soft tissues. It assists in diagnosing soft tissue problems and guiding precise injections. For patients dealing with spasticity—muscle stiffness or contractions often resulting from central nervous system injuries like strokes or cerebral palsy—physiatrists prescribe medications to reduce muscle tightness and relieve pain.

Beyond these specialized procedures, physiatrists offer additional treatments such as acupuncture and stem cell therapy. They also play a crucial role in prescribing physical therapy or exercise programs tailored to individual needs, providing pain medication, and administering joint or spine injections to support patient recovery and enhance overall quality of life. By combining these various approaches, physiatrists help patients manage pain, improve mobility, and achieve better functional outcomes.

Why choose physiatry? 

With early diagnosis and treatment, physiatrists can help you avoid surgery and tackle your pain or condition through non-surgical means so that you can resume your routine as soon as possible. Physiatry can also relieve those who have undergone amputations, brain injuries, or chronic whiplash.

People with arthritis, back pain, chronic degenerative disc disease, fibromyalgia, Guillain-Barre Syndrome, Parkinson's Disease, osteoporosis, and sciatica should consult a physiatrist. The treatment could help reduce or eliminate pain, enhance mobility, and improve balance.

What is fibromyalgia?

Fibromyalgia is an illness that causes extensive musculoskeletal pain, as well as lethargy, sleep, cognitive, and mood issues. Fibromyalgia worsens painful sensations by altering how the brain and spinal cord interpret painful and nonpainful information.

Symptoms often appear following an incident, such as physical trauma, surgery, infection, or severe psychological stress. In other cases, symptoms develop gradually over time without a specific trigger event.

Women are more prone to get fibromyalgia than males. Fibromyalgia patients commonly suffer from tension headaches, temporomandibular joint (TMJ) issues, irritable bowel syndrome, anxiety, and depression.

While there is no treatment for fibromyalgia, a variety of drugs can help control symptoms. Visiting a physiatrist who can assist you with exercise techniques and prescribe the proper medications can also be helpful. Other therapeutic methods include relaxation and stress management.

What is neurological rehabilitation?

Neurological rehabilitation (rehab) is a doctor-supervised treatment for patients suffering from nervous-system diseases, injuries, or disorders. Neurological rehabilitation can enhance function, alleviate symptoms, and improve the patient's overall health.

Injuries, infections, degenerative diseases, structural flaws, tumors, and circulatory system issues can all have an impact on the nervous system. Neurological rehabilitation may be beneficial for the following conditions:

• Vascular illnesses such as ischemic strokes (caused by blood clots), hemorrhagic strokes (induced by brain bleeding), subdural hematoma, and transient ischemic attacks (TIAs)
• Infections such as meningitis, encephalitis, polio, and brain abscesses
• Trauma, including brain and spinal cord injury
• Functional disorders such as headaches, seizure disorder, dizziness, and neuralgia
• Degenerative disorders, such as Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Alzheimer's disease, and Huntington chorea

A neurological rehabilitation program can be inpatient or outpatient and tailored to your specific issue or disease. Your physiatrist and other skilled specialists, such as a neurologist, orthopedist, internist, rehabilitation expert, registered dietitian, physical therapist, etc., help you improve the condition.

Finding the right physiatrist in Jersey City, New Jersey

You must know about their practice to find a suitable physiatrist in Jersey City, New Jersey. To do so, Zocdoc is one of the best online platforms. Add your location information, symptoms, and doctor's specialty to the search bar. Once done, Zocdoc will show a list of medical professionals close to you.

By clicking on the doctor's profile, you can learn about the practitioners' licensure, educational qualifications, experience, areas of expertise, awards, and accreditations. Zocdoc allows you to refine your search further by adding filters so that you can learn about practitioners who accept your insurance plan, treat children, etc. 

Through Zocdoc, you can also read verified reviews left by previous patients. After shortlisting, you can book an in-person or virtual consultation. 

Our online patient support center can help locate physiatrists who accept your insurance. On Zocdoc, you can link your medical, dental, and vision insurance plans to your account; however, you can use only one plan per appointment.

You can add your secondary insurance details in the appointment notes if you have multiple insurance plans. Alternatively, if your provider uses Zocdoc's Intake forms, you can conveniently enter your secondary insurance information there.

With Zocdoc, you can schedule appointments before, during, or after standard office hours, depending on the physiatrist’s availability. You can also book appointments on weekends and holidays if their schedule allows.

Booking appointments with physiatrists near you on Zocdoc is fast, free, and secure! 

Physiatry statistics in Jersey City, New Jersey

According to America’s Health Rankings, 23.4% of adults in New Jersey had some form of arthritis in 2022. The report also stated that the chronic inflammatory condition was more prevalent among women (27.2%) than men (19.4%). The highest cases were among people over 65 (48.7%).

The New Jersey Department of Health reported around 16,558 inpatient stroke cases in 2020. About 2,911 were hemorrhagic strokes, while 13,232 were ischemic (both occur in the brain). In 2020, stroke was the primary cause of death and long-term disability in New Jersey and the United States. As per the 2016 BRFSS, nearly 2.8% of all New Jersey residents aged 18 or older, i.e., about 194,872 people, had a history of strokes.

Sources

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation[1]

American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation[2]

WebMD

Penn Medicine

State of New Jersey Department of Health

Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Western Washington Medical Group

Johns Hopkins Medicine

Mayo Clinic

America’s Health Rankings

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.