Physiatrist on the Upper East Side
The philosophy behind physical medicine and rehabilitation is to help treat and restore normal function for patients who have had physical impairments on their bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, tendons, spinal cord, brain, and nerves. These specialized physicians are referred to as physiatrists in the medical field. Physiatrists are trained in providing individualized treatment plans, aiming to reduce the patient’s symptoms and improve their natural abilities. This differs from most other medical physicians who usually look to find a specific “cure” to treat a physical impairment. Physiatrists work closely with patients to instill cutting-edge treatment methods that help to enhance their bodies own capabilities in function and movement. If you or someone you know has been facing an issue with their pain levels or mobility due to an underlying medical condition, our physiatrist on the Upper East Side might be the answer for you! Our physiatrist at New York Sports Medicine Institute works closely with patients to instill physical medicine and rehabilitation methods to relieve a wide range of medical conditions. Continue reading to learn more about the conditions they treat and how our physiatrist on the Upper East Side can help you feel your best.
What Conditions Do They Treat?
The first step a physiatrist has when treating a new patient is to gain an in-depth knowledge of their medical history and conduct an evaluation of the current short-or-long term conditions they may be facing. These medical conditions can consist of but are not limited to:
- Adult geriatric muscle disease
- Degenerative joint disease
- Arthritis
- Fibromyalgia
- Hip fracture
- Back and/or neck pain
- Obesity
- Knee osteoarthritis
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Ankle sprain
- Stress fractures
- Osteoporosis
- Plantar Fasciitis
- Shoulder tendon and muscle injuries
- Sports concussion
- Elbow pain
The goal of a physiatrist is to decrease a patient’s overall pain level while also enhancing their natural performance without having to go through surgery. Physical medicine and rehabilitation can be an extremely beneficial option, especially for those who are athletes. Surgery often requires a long recovery period and doesn’t guarantee improvement. For those who need treatment and want to avoid taking that next step of surgery, seeing one of our physiatrists on the Upper East Side might be the best option for you!
Treatment Methods
Physiatrists can perform a multitude of techniques and treatment methods. Depending on an individual’s symptoms and underlying medical condition, this will depict what kind of treatment method would be most beneficial. Being that physical medicine and rehabilitation helps to treat a wide range of physical impairments and conditions, there is also a wide range of treatment methods that can be used as well. Techniques can range from injections, medications, therapeutic exercise, prosthetics/orthotics, cognitive therapy, modalities, and adaptive devices. Although physiatrists do not perform surgery, they can perform a series of minimal procedures, such as:
- Trigger point injections – In addition to exercise and physical therapy, dry needling or lidocaine can be used to treat trigger points. Often these trigger points are due to soft tissue pain also known as chronic myofascial pain.
- Peripheral joint injections – This type of injection is often used to treat common sports medicine disorders such as knee osteoarthritis, epicondylitis, tendinopathy, rotator cuff, and knee osteoarthritis. It also helps to diagnose and treat soft tissue and bone disorders.
- Musculoskeletal ultrasound – This method is often used to evaluate abnormalities that are present in the soft tissue joints and structures. It also helps to aid and improve the accuracy of injection procedures.
The Difference our Physiatrist on the Upper East Side Can Make
The role of a physiatrist is to help coordinate and manage a patient’s medical issues. They not only perform a variety of treatment methods but they also work in conjunction with other specialists, such as physical therapists, to provide the best outcome for patients. At New York Sports Medicine Institute, we strive to provide every patient with the proper diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment follow-ups to ensure that they are receiving the highest level of care. If you have been living with a medical condition and are in need of taking the next step towards finding relief and enhancing your quality of life, schedule an appointment with one of our physiatrists on the Upper East Side today!