Medications
Physiatry Medicine
When you see a physiatrist for treatment of a condition affecting the musculoskeletal
system or any type of injury or syndrome that causes pain / disability,
they will develop a plan based on the parameters of your diagnosis and
needs. In some causes, this treatment plan may include medications. Be
sure to ask your Fremont physiatrist at Washington Township Medical Foundation
if you have questions about medications used to treat your condition.
Medications used in treating conditions managed by a physiatrist may include:
- Steroid injections
- Growth factor injections
Injections in the muscles, bursae, ligaments, and / or joints can be used
to manage and alleviate pain. The ultimate focus of any course of treatment
developed by a physiatrist is functionality. The physiatrist will also
prioritize treating the patient as a whole rather than merely tending
to those parts of the patient’s body that require immediate attention
and relief. If it is determined that medications facilitate this goal,
your physiatrist may recommend drugs as part of your treatment.
For example, a steroid injection can be used to treat joint pain. The physiatrist
provides the patient with a corticosteroid such as triamcinolone or dexamethasone
along with a numbing agent inside the affected joint capsule. In most
cases, however, a physiatrist will only recommend this treatment after
conservative treatments have been tried without success, such as rest,
physical therapy, and use of over the counter anti-inflammatory drugs.