What is Physiatry?
People on the West Coast say fizz ee at' tree. People in the East say fiz eye' a tree Despite the pronunciation disagreement , physiatry is the medical specialty of physical medicine and rehabilitation that deals with the diagnosis, treatment and prevention of disability caused by acute or chronic disease.

The physiatrist is the physician who leads a team of health care professionals in designing individualized therapy programs. Traditional medical intervention and diverse therapies such as therapeutic exercises, aquatic therapy, heat and cold, electrotherapies, massage, biofeedback and traction are used.

What cases does a physiatrist treat?

Physiatrists treat people who have experienced:

  • Chronic illness or injury
  • Serious disorders of the musculoskeletal system that result in severe functional limitations
  • Acute and chronic pain

What about physiatry at Gaylord?

Gaylord's staff of physiatrists is one of the largest among hospitals in New England. Their expertise is applied to major diagnostic areas such as:

  • Spinal cord injury
  • Traumatic brain injury
  • Stroke
  • Pulmonary conditions
  • Industrial injuries
  • Multiple Sclerosis
  • Amputations
  • Sports-related injuries
  • Arthritis
  • Multiple trauma
  • Cardiac disorders
  • Cancer
  • Burns

What kind of preparation do physiatrists have?

To become certified by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, a physiatrist must have completed:

  • four years of medical school
  • one year of internship
  • three years of residency training

The candidate is then eligible to take written and oral board examinations. There are currently some 4,000 board certified physiatrists in the country. The specialty is growing at the rate of about 300 a year.

How do physiatrists diagnose conditions?

The diagnostic tools of the physiatrist are the same as those used by other physicians, with the addition of special techniques in:

  • electrodiagnostic medicine such as electromyography (EMG)
  • nerve conduction studies
  • somatosensory evoked potentials

These techniques help the physiatrist to diagnose conditions that cause pain, weakness and numbness.

How do physiatrists interact with other medical specialties?

At Gaylord physiatrists join other physicians (internists, rheumatologists, pulmonologists, neurologists) on the medical staff. Therapists and other health care professionals serve as part of a multidisciplinary rehabilitation team that charts and follows the course of treatment for each patient.

Physiatrists use the expertise of physical therapists, occupational therapists, speech and vocational counselors, social workers, psychologists, rehabilitation nurses and other professionals.

Can a physiatrist make a difference?

The major concern of the physiatrist is to restore the patient's function as completely as possible. Since the physiatrist is concerned with the rehabilitation of the total person — socially, vocationally and medically — the physiatrist contributes substantially to the patient's quality of life.

How did the specialty develop?

The field of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R) began in the 1930s to address musculoskeletal and neurological problems. Its scope broadened considerably after World War II. As thousands of veterans returned from the war with serious disabilities, the task of restoring them to a productive living offered a new direction for the field. The Advisory Board of Medical Specialties granted (PM&R) its approval as a medical specialty in 1947.