Accidents and injuries that make it difficult for us to walk, breathe, or eat can be particularly frightening emotionally and physically. Physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R), also known as physiatry, is a branch of medicine that aims to restore and maximize function lost due to illness, injury, or other disabling conditions.
Physical therapists are specialists in the bones, muscles, and nerves that govern how injuries to the spine, sports injuries, limb amputations, strokes, and other musculoskeletal conditions affect your body.
But how do you know when to seek medical attention from a physiatrist or under what circumstances?
A doctor who specializes in physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) is known as a physiatrist. The spinal cord, back, brain, ligaments, nerves, joints, bones, and tendons are just a few of the conditions he treats. Psychiatrists complete a 4-year residency program in their chosen field after their regular medical training, which aids in their specialization. When pain, incapacity, or weakness are restricting motion or function, consulting a physiatrist should be the first action.
The doctor assists the patient in strengthening their weaknesses while also maximizing their functional abilities. Physiatrists serve as consultants and treat patients in and out of the hospital. It’s important to note that they provide non-surgical treatment options.
ACTUAL DOCS OR PHYSIATRISTS?
Physiatrists are legitimate medical professionals, yes. They must complete several years of medical school, an internship, and a residency to receive their board certification. Because of their medical training, they are qualified to make diagnoses, develop treatments, and write prescriptions.
WHAT IS THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN A
A PHYSIATRIST AS WELL AS A THERAPIST?
Physiatrists and physical therapists collaborate, but their functions are distinct. Physical therapists perform the recommended therapies that physiatrists prescribe after consulting with patients, diagnosing, and managing conditions. On the other hand, physical therapists focus on rehabilitation initiatives as directed by the physiatrist. To authorize the therapy, a physiatrist must consult with the patient.
There are two main areas where physiatrists and physical therapists differ from one another:
THEIR EDUCATION
Physical therapists and physiatrists are highly skilled professionals, but their educational backgrounds differ significantly.
To become board-certified as medical doctors, physiatrists must complete medical school, an internship, and a residency. On the other hand, physical therapists can become certified with just a post-graduate degree in physical therapy.
Physical therapists and physiatrists are both experts in their respective fields, but physiatrists receive more in-depth training and have a deeper understanding of the human body.
- THEIR ROLES
Physiatrists are in charge of musculoskeletal patient diagnosis, care, and management. It entails evaluating patients, prescribing appropriate treatments in light of the results, and then supervising the administration of the treatment and evaluating its efficacy.
Physiatrists use their medical training to examine and consider your entire medical history before recommending a course of treatment to accomplish this. Physiatrists frequently deal with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and others.
On the other hand, physical therapists are in charge of carrying out the treatment plans that physiatrists recommend. They accomplish this by utilizing the diagnostic data that your physiatrist has provided. Specialized exercises and other hands-on techniques are frequently used in the treatment plans that physical therapists are expected to implement.
WHO NEEDS A PHYSIATRIST
Physiatrists should be the first choice sought when suffering from any kind of disability, including congenital disabilities, muscular pain, strained mobility, or any problem affecting daily body functionality, as they specialize in diagnosing and treating musculoskeletal conditions.
A physiatrist should be consulted by anyone who has sustained any kind of injury, including sports-related injuries, illnesses, or conditions restricting movement. Arthritis, back pain, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, osteoporosis, spinal cord injuries, fractures, muscular dystrophy, and other conditions are among the illnesses that physiatrists specialize in.
Physiatrists typically concentrate on treating musculoskeletal pain and disorders, though they occasionally diagnose and treat functionally limiting conditions like diabetes and hypertension.
All ages of patients are treated by physiatrists, who occasionally collaborate with neurologists, paediatricians, orthopaedic surgeons, and other medical professionals. They concentrate not only on the problematic area but also on restorative treatments, which comprise identifying the underlying cause of the issue and avoiding its recurrence following a successful course of action.
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