Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Jobs: Understanding What They Involve

Employment Training

Physical disabilities are improved by those in physical medicine and rehabilitation jobs. This is branch of medicine that focuses on exercise and physical training to improve the patients physical functioning. This includes applying cold, heat, electricity, water and radiation during the manipulation, exercise and massage including the use of mechanical devices to aid in disease diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Rehabilitation services are important to those that have had physical injuries limiting movement as a way to get them back to their former level of functioning or just to perform basic living skills without assistance. There are a number of injuries that will lead people to seek a physical medicine physician. Physical medicine associates will have obtained a physical medicine rehabilitation qualification that allows them to practice this type of medicine and means that they have met specific requirements to become a rehab medicine specialist or physiatrist. There are a number of reasons to see one of these physicians. The common injuries they treat are to the: <UL> <LI>Bones</LI> <LI>Tissues</LI> <LI>Muscles</LI> <LI>Nervous systems</LI></UL> A physical medicine physician manages a number of disorders that can alter the performance and functioning of a patient. Those in the field of physical medicine will perform tests to provide both a diagnosis and prognosis of a range of neuromuscular disorder. These tests include electro diagnostics such as needle electromyographys (EMG) and nerve conduction studies (NCS). The tests involve needle electrodes to be inserted into the muscles in order to find electrical potential that muscle fibers generate. There are conditions commonly treated by physical medicine associates including: <UL> <LI>Amputation</LI> <LI>Asthma </LI> <LI>Rheumatic disease</LI> <LI>Spinal cord injuries</LI> <LI>Sports injuries</LI> <LI>Strokes</LI> <LI>Musculoskeletal pain syndromes including low back pain and Fibromyalgia</LI> <LI>Traumatic brain injury. </LI> <LI>Poliomyelitis</LI></UL> Those affected with disease of the heart or lungs will be involved in cardiopulmonary rehabilitation to help them optimize functioning. A multidisciplinary approach to the management of chronic pain is achieved by the use of Interventional procedures involving occupational therapists, physical therapists and psychologists. Recreational and speech therapists are added to the treatment of stroke. The limitations disease progression causes on the body when there is not a cure are the major concern with those that have the physical medicine rehabilitation qualification. Physical medicine and rehabilitation jobs focus on rehabilitation therapies to help patients return to a maximum level of functioning following an extended illness, debilitating disease or injury. There are a number of sub-specialties in the field of physical medicine. <UL> <LI>These include pain medicine, spinal cord injury medicine, pediatric rehabilitation, neuromuscular medicine, hospice and palliative medicine, and sports medicine. </LI> <LI>There are also subspecialties in the field that include lifestyle diseases such as obesity</LI> <LI>Surgical rehabilitation injuries or disease that required surgical intervention and the healing associated with the surgery</LI> <LI>Intervention physiatry</LI> <LI>Musculoskeletal pain management this pain can cause the entire body to ache, common symptoms are pain, fatigue and sleep disturbances</LI> <LI>Electrodiagnostics</LI> <LI>Traumatic brain injury </LI> <LI>Amputee care care and rehabilitation therapies to those that have lost limbs such as arms or legs</LI></UL> Physical medicine and rehabilitation jobs require a great deal of attention to detail in addition to the education and professional training required to complete the tasks associated with the job. The various sub specialties of the field each requires their own individual training and certifications in to qualify for the position. Each position in the additional specialties has its own set of required skills that have to be learned and standards to ensure that the best possible care if provided to the patients that are receiving the care. A physical medicine physician will be the one to take over care for patients that require muscular therapies in order to function at an optional level after injury, illness or disease.