At OrthoCarolina, our physiatrists treat patients of all ages for conditions ranging from the developmental disabilities of childhood to the acute injuries of adulthood and finally to the chronic diseases associated with aging. A major component of physiatry is that the care focuses on creating a comprehensive program for patients after injury or disease -- without surgery.
The physiatrists at OrthoCarolina are sub-specialized and often treat spinal problems with medications or physical therapy. While these providers are non-operative they are trained in various spinal injections that are often done under fluoroscopy, such as X-ray. OrthoCarolina physiatrists also perform electrodiagnostic studies, more commonly known as “nerve studies”, to help diagnose various neurologic problems such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Patients are referred to physiatrists by a wide variety of healthcare professionals including primary physicians, medical specialists in all fields, vocational counselors, social workers, and insurance companies. When a physiatrist develops a plan for care, they design it around the patient’s lifestyle, trying to make the patient as self-sufficient as possible while keeping them active and healthy. Oftentimes they will involve other medical providers in the plan for various treatments such as physical therapy or neurology.
