Physical medicine is a relatively new specialized field of clinical medicine involved in diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal diseases and central and peripheral nerves. This field is practiced in three areas:
Diagnostic:
A thorough physical examination, the use of electrodiagnostic techniques (electromyography): Electromyography is a helpful test for diagnosis of nerve injuries and hand and foot pain. A nerve test can reveal neuropathy due to disc pressure.
Electromyography’s applications include:
- Tingling and numbness of the limbs
- Muscle weakness
- Limb weakness
- Diabetic neuropathy
- Low back pain, sciatic nerve dysfunction
- Neck pain
- Sciatica
- Lumbar or neck disc slip, and more
Electromyography accuracy depends on the specialist’s skill and the equipment used. If done carelessly, this test can damage nerves or nerve roots and exacerbate nervous and muscle disease.
Shafa Hospital’s experienced physicians specializing in physical medicine and rehabilitation perform electromyography with accurate and sensitive systems and standard needles.
Treatment:
A variety of non-surgical treatments for neuromuscular, skeletal-bone diseases of the spine and limbs, including medication, prescribing specialized exercise therapy, orthoses, prostheses, lifestyle changes, and various intra-articular soft tissue and spinal injections.
Rehabilitation:
This is a subset of therapy and entails improving and maintaining optimal physical, mental, and social function using state-of-the-art equipment and specialized staffing such as physical medicine and rehabilitation specialists, physiotherapists, and technical orthopedics for treatment and rehabilitation.
Finally, note that prevention is always better than treatment. Teaching simple tips such as sitting and walking properly in childhood can prevent the incidence of tiring and costly disorders in adulthood.
