Physical and rehabilitation medicine

Physical and rehabilitation medicine (PRM) is a medical specialty dedicated to restoring physical and cognitive function in patients with a disability or deficit that is congenital (present from birth) or acquired as a result of illness, accident or surgery.

The specialist in physical and rehabilitation medicine has the task of guiding the patient through a rehabilitation programme aimed at improving his or her quality of life and reducing the after-effects of an accident or illness, both on a functional and physical level and on a psychological and social level.

The aim is to maintain the patient's maximum autonomy according to their disability (or functional deficit) and to integrate them as well as possible into their environment.

When to consult a specialist?

Consultation and follow-up treatment

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When is it recommended to consult a specialist?

Consultation with this specialist is recommended for people with a disability (as a result of orthopaedic conditions, various types of surgery and cancer) and for patients who have been forced into prolonged immobilisation. Specialist consultation is also necessary for painful symptoms of musculoskeletal dysfunction.

The most common areas of consultation for orthopaedic and neurological conditions are :

Post-traumatic injuries, e.g. cervical spine distortion or trauma from a fracture or muscle tear
chronic diseases of the spine (low back pain, neck pain)
Inflammatory pathologies of the musculoskeletal system, e.g. tendinopathies or enthesopathies, i.e. painful inflammations of tendons or tendon-capsule ligament attachments to bone (enthesias)
Pathologies of a progressive nature of the musculoskeletal system, such as osteoarthritis
Disorders of the vestibular control system (vertigo, coordination disorders)
Neurological damage to the central nervous system: e.g. after a stroke, head injuries
Neurological damage to the peripheral nervous system, such as sciatica, carpal tunnel syndrome or elbow syndrome

Consultation and follow-up treatment

The specialist assesses the patient's deficit or disability in terms of the underlying pathology and degree of disability.

After a rehabilitation diagnosis, he puts together an individualised rehabilitation plan for each patient, including programmes to relieve pain, regain autonomy and articulation, mobility and coordination, and restore cognitive abilities.

For this purpose, he may include methods such as remedial gymnastics, massage, heat or cold treatment, etc., so that the patient regains his independence or at least reduces the degree of his deficit.