# Find a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in your area



## WillBrink (Feb 23, 2009)

Folks, one of the mods on my forums is a rehab physician. He's a physiatrist to be exact. Many people don't know about this specialty, and it can be a real life saver for those with various injuries, etc.  His name is Dr. Peck. He's a wealth of knowledge about all things rehab, training, etc. He posted the info below on my forums and I though it may be of value to this population also, who are no strangers to injuries and aches and pains of all kind. His write up:

By Evan Peck MD:

Have a disabling medical problem that is affecting your participation in the sports or activities you enjoy?

Is your primary care doctor either unhelpful or unwilling to understand why you don't want to "just rest it" for the rest of your life?

Is the surgeon you were referred to only interested in cutting on your problem?

Even worse, was the problem already cut on, but you are not any better?

Is there any alternative, or do you have to resort to chiropractors or naturopaths or quacks to find a health care provider who can help?

Stop right here. You may or may not be aware of it, but there is a medical specialty specifically dedicated to non-surgical restoration and optimization of function in people with disability, ranging across the entire spectrum of disability - from a sprained ankle to a spinal cord injury, from carpal tunnel syndrome to a stroke. That specialty is Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R).

PM&R is a small medical specialty that has only had a medical board since 1947, but is rapidly growing as more and more people want to stay active and are unable to find physicians willing or able to help them overcome (primarily) neuromusculoskeletal injury and disability to maximize their activity and function. Many more people are also becoming weary of some of the pitfalls of only treating injuries with surgeries that "treat the MRI" and/or long-term drug use to cover up the pain rather than seek and fix the underlying cause.

PM&R doctors are fully licensed allopathic and osteopathic physicians that go to the same medical schools as family doctors, obstetricians, neurologists, surgeons, pediatricians, radiologists, and all other medical specialties.

A PM&R physician may be just who you need to maximize your function and performance, and to overcome injuries and ailments to resume doing the things you like to do at the level you like to do them. To find a PM&R physician in your area, please see the following website:

http://www.e-aapmr.org/imis/imisonline/findphys/find.cfm
__________________


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## Ex3 (Feb 23, 2009)

I don't think of chiropractic care as 'resorting' to something.  :2c:


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## WillBrink (Feb 23, 2009)

Ex3 said:


> I don't think of chiropractic care as 'resorting' to something.  :2c:



I use a chyro myself some times and they can be very helpful. He's really not anti chyro per se I can tell you, but he also feels people should get diagnosed and cleared by an MD before having their spine manipulated and such.


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## LibraryLady (Feb 23, 2009)

WillBrink said:


> ...people should get diagnosed and cleared by an MD before having their spine manipulated and such.



Why?

Most MD's are not trained to understand what a chiropractor does and how it can help.  I've yet to run into an MD who would recommend chiropractic, much less those who specialize in structural (bone/muscle) issues.

I've worked with several specialists in various areas and most of them do not believe in the holistic method of health.  It's been up to me to educate myself in the manner in which the different theories of medicine help/hinder me and my issues.

I'm not a fan of any medical specialist who thinks their specialty is the end all/be all and speaks disparagingly of other specialties. 

LL


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## WillBrink (Feb 23, 2009)

LibraryLady said:


> Why?
> 
> Most MD's are not trained to understand what a chiropractor does and how it can help.  I've yet to run into an MD who would recommend chiropractic, much less those who specialize in structural (bone/muscle) issues.
> 
> ...



As he's not hear to speak in his own words, I can't comment for him, only to say I know he's not anti chyro per se, but typical of most specialists, probably feels his is the most special specialist and does not like to see people going to chyro as their first option. Even your more open minded MD who are not anti chyro, are not comfortable with people replacing primary medical care with a chyro. That's their position. I'm less worried about it myself....Like I said, I use one myself semi regular and find them helpful.


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