What is Physical Medicine?

Physical Medicine is medicine with a focus on enjoying a vibrant, healthy, pain-free life.

Sometimes, whether through sudden trauma or through gradual wear and tear caused by illness and stress, it becomes difficult for us to perform everyday activities. When you are healthy you take the ability to tie your own shoes, get up out of a chair, and get through a day of work without pain for granted. But all the can change in an instant. When it does, Physical Medicine can help.

The AAPM&R describes Physical Medicine as “a comprehensive program for putting the pieces of a person's life back together – medically, socially, emotionally, and vocationally – after injury or disease.” Physical Medicine is holistic, because injuries interrupt our ability to live our everyday lives. The goal of Physical Medicine is not just to fix injured body parts or get rid of aches and pains, but also to retrain your body to function normally once healing has begun.

How does it work?

Physical Medicine uses a combination of medication, chiropractic adjustments, physical modalities, therapeutic exercise, and movement and activity modification to restore the body to full functionality. During your first visit to our office, our physician will examine you and determine which methods of treatments are most likely to be effective in your case. On a follow-up visit we will discuss a detailed plan of care and how to implement it on a schedule that works for you.

What is the difference between Physical Medicine and Rehab?

Rehabilitation is simply one specific type of care that falls under the umbrella of Physical Medicine. Rehabilitation emphasizes retraining the body after healing has begun. This often involves stretching and specialized exercises.

While people are most familiar with the need for rehabilitation after a severe accident or perhaps a stroke, a gradual accumulation of small injuries can also limit our physical activity over time. Our weight, our adaptability, our immune system, our level of stress, how quickly we heal from injury or sickness - all of this can be affected by the physical condition of our body. That is why people with mild to moderate injuries or chronic conditions can often benefit from physical rehabilitation just as much as those who have experienced severe trauma.

Are you ready to get your life back?

Let our trained physicians examine you. Sometimes we get so used to being constantly tired and in pain that we forget that we didn’t always used to feel this way. Don’t get stuck in a rut. Vibrant health, free movement and joyful life are still possible. Call us today!
(904) 398-4860