Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation encompasses so many diseases and illnesses that affect patients in many ways. As examples, conditions that limit function affect one in every seven Americans, and the cost of this disability averages more than $170 billion each year. 100,000 Americans sustain severe traumatic brain injury each year. 10,000-20,000 Americans sustain a spinal cord injury, and there are 200,000 living with a spinal cord injury at any given time. 7 of every 100,000 births will result in cerebral palsy, a number that has remained constant over the years, despite advances in modern technology. Physiatrists can play an important role in diagnosing and treating these conditions which could be mitigated without surgical intervention or narcotics. It is important for primary care physicians to understand when their patients could benefit from this specialty.
Learning Objectives:
Following the completion of this lecture, the participant will be able to: