Physiatrists are medical doctors who specialize in physical medicine and rehabilitation.
Physiatry is a branch of medicine dedicated to preventing, diagnosing, and treating disabilities related to the brain, nerves, bones, and muscles. It adopts a holistic, multi-faceted approach to treatment that determines how a patient’s medical condition affects every aspect of their life.
Physiatry’s goals are to maximize physical functioning, greatly decrease or eliminate chronic pain, and improve the patient’s quality of life.
At Santa Cruz Osteopathic, physiatrist and physical medicine specialist Dr. Richard Bernstein diagnoses and treats all manner of chronic joint and muscle pain at our Capitola, California, office. If you have a chronic pain problem, here’s how we can help.
Pain is your body’s way of letting you know that something’s wrong like you stubbed your toe or broke your arm. That’s what’s known as acute pain, pain that results from an injury or is a side effect of a medical condition. Once you’ve healed or gotten better, the pain should go away.
The problem with chronic pain is that it doesn’t go away when the injury or illness has resolved, and it’s defined as pain that lasts at least 12 weeks (three months) or more. Sometimes, something doesn’t heal properly, but much of the time, your brain has gotten so used to receiving pain signals that it finds them even when they’re not there — a processing problem.
Chronic pain is intrusive and draining, and it can take a toll on you physically, mentally, and emotionally. Seeking appropriate medical attention can help reduce or eliminate the pain. And if you’re looking for whole-body health, a physiatrist is the one you want to see.
Chronic pain comes in numerous forms and can occur anywhere in your body. Common types of chronic pain include:
Chronic pain is one of the most common reasons for people to seek medical care. In 2021, according to a study from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 20.9% of US adults (51.6 million people) were living with chronic pain.
Physiatrists employ many techniques to help with chronic pain, depending on the underlying cause. The aim is to remove the cause rather than just treat the symptoms.
Dr. Bernstein uses several different treatment options for chronic pain:
OMM is a hands-on technique where Dr. Bernstein precisely manipulates your body in specific ways, including using exercises that stretch your muscles and strengthen the area and those that use mild pressure for tissue manipulation. Aside from just decreasing pain, OMM improves range of motion, strength, and flexibility, improving muscle and joint function.
SpineMED® spinal decompression therapy handles chronic pain from spinal issues. The platform relieves pressure in the spine by separating your vertebrae and allowing your intervertebral discs room to get the blood supply they need to heal properly. The device handles both cervical (neck) and lumbar (lower back) problems.
If you have pain in your lower back stemming from problems with your sacroiliac (pelvic) joint, this could be a good therapy for you. It’s also helpful if you have pain from muscles that have tightened in response to joint pain.
In addition, Dr. Bernstein can prescribe exercises for you to do at home or with a licensed physical therapist. Depending on your needs, he may also give you trigger point injections or other types of care for total pain relief.
To learn more about physiatry and how it can help your chronic pain or to schedule an appointment with Dr. Bernstein, call us at 831-464-1605 or book online today.
