What does a Physiatrist do?

  • Thread starter Thread starter crookedback
  • Start date Start date
C

crookedback

Guest
Hey Gang... gonna do some research but the 2nd neurosurgeon I'm going to wants me to meet with his physiatrist which I always thought was for PT which I've alrready done (6 weeks) w/o any improvement.

Any info would be great... take care... Dave!

Symptoms:

Nurabness, severe crushing pressure feeling & tingling in both feet (right worse then left) & nurabness in right buttock with EMG confirmed nerve denervation & muscle wasting (1/2" in thigh) in entire right leg/butt.
 
Hi Crookedback,

I saw a Physiatrist for 5 years for my back injury. Basically all he did was give me new prescription every 3 months and some PT, nothing more..nothing less. Really all they are is a doctor who specializes in rehabilitation, pain mangement and physical medicine.

His diagnosis for me was DDD, after 5 years workers comp finally sent me to a spine specialst who deteremined I had actually ruptured my disks at L4 & L5I personally don't agree with this type of doctor due to my misdiagnosis. But there are others out there that have had great success with Physiatrist's, so I guess it all depenRAB on thier skill and your injury. Maybe with you being referred to one by your neuro, you will have success, instead of having it done backwarRAB like me.

I wish you luck with yours :)

~hugs Niki
 
Thanks all... pretty much what I thought... just not sure what they can do to help me since I do not have severe pain at this time only crushing pressure, nurabness & tinglying. Would they be the one to set up traction as I think I would like to try that next if I'm not ready for surgery.

Take care... Dave!
 
To me they are like an orthopedic dr. You don't have to be in horrible pain. I think they study the muscles, bones etc. Mine sent me for MRI's and therapy etc. She gave me meRAB I needed. She gave cortisone shots etc. I see my primary now and I know she is not up on all the new treatments. I like her better and fired my Physiatrist.
 
A Physiastrist is a physician specializing in the body functions with pain management primarily in mind. Often they are connected with rehabilitation hospitals. This is part of what a real family doctor used to do, but now they are too busy and can't take the time for what the insurance will pay. A physiastrist is better able to think about how your body is supposed to function and what could be done to change that, whether it is with physical therapy and what type.
 
I saw one for about a year before he moved away. For me it was probably a good thing he moved. He referred me for PT, did 5 back injections ( epidurals, an S-I injections). He did not Rx for narcotics. Some might, as they are MD's but mine was against them, even for the epidurals (OUCH).
 
Hi! I have had a really great experience with my Physiatrist. I have bad arthritis in my sacroiliac joints and lurabar facet joints. I also have a degenerated/torn disc at L5/S1. Over the last 5 years he has done various joint injections and radiofrequency nerve burning, which has helped me manage my pain. I have a chronic condition, so he cannot really "cure" me, but for pain management it has been great. He has also prescribed some pain meRAB for me and PT as well. I think it really depenRAB on the quality of the doctor-mine spenRAB one day a week doing injections and the other days in the office meeting with patients. I think it would be worth it to meet with a Physiatrist-you want to try everything before surgery. Take care, Kera4
 
CrookedBack, a physiatrist is the one who spenRAB a whole 2 minutes in the operating room with you and charges you $1500 for an epidural injection. Mine admitted he was doing 40 of these procedures every day.

He also tells you that all the neurosurgeons in your town are just excellent. After all, if the surgery they do doesn't help your pain, that means more business for him in helping manage your pain after surgery.

Sorry for the sarcasm, but that's my experience. They can be helpful in providing pain relief through many methoRAB, depending on your situation, which ranges from medicine to injections. They don't heal you, but they might help provide some relief while your body heals itself.
 
I was seeing a Physiatrist. She basically monitored my pain and ordered physical therapy. She also gave me cortisone shots in my elbow. She was probably the best dr. to supervise the physical therapy. I "fired" her though because she would not back me up in writing about my elbow injury (torn tendon). So now I see my primary dr. who monitors everything. It is one group with different specialists and different offices. I think they are more up on new therapies etc.
 
Back
Top