Patient Services - Physiatry (Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation)
Our Buffalo Spine and Sports (BSSI) Physicians (M.D. and D.O.) are specialists in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PM&R).  Professionally, they are known as physiatrists (pronounced: fizz eye a trists.)  Their medical specialty is centered on an aggressive, non-surgical approach to pain and injury.  Specifically, they are trained in diagnosing and treating problems of the musculoskeletal (muscles and bones) system.

It is the goal of our physicians to take a thorough patient history and perform a detailed physical examination in order to accurately pinpoint the source of each patient's pain, injury or disability.  Such attention and care can regularly reveal the cause of many medical issues, even when standard diagnostic tests have failed to expose such problems.

Once diagnosed, our physicians determine each patient's treatment(s) and organize, supervise, collaborate with and coordinate the team of health care professionals who will provide the treatment(s).  The result is a specially designed program tailored for each patient that will help them take back their lifestyles.

Click on any of the topics for more details.
Treatment Philosophy
Diagnosis and Treatment Expertise
How We Treat
Education and Training
Wellness Care

Treatment Philosophy:
We believe in treating the whole patient, not just the patient’s symptoms.  This involves sharing our medical knowledge with our patients so that they fully understand their condition and know how to employ the tools and resources to manage it.

In all of our treatments, we use a variety of therapeutic methods to reduce or eliminate medical problems and to decrease the possibility of future recurrence.  This integrated, focused care and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment produces a high degree of patient satisfaction.  back to top

Diagnosis and Treatment Expertise:
Low Back Pain                       
Myofascial Pain   
Musculoskeletal Disorders       
Neck Pain           
Arthritis                                 
Osteoporosis
Acute and Chronic Pain             
Specific Women's Health issues
Sports Injuries               
Pelvic Pain during Pregnancy
Work Injuries                   
Incontinence
Motor Vehicle Injuries    
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How We Treat:
Electro diagnostic testing
   - Electromyography (EMG)
   - Nerve conduction studies (NCS)
Diagnostic and therapeutic injections
   - Spinal (epidural, sacroiliac joint, facet joint) under fluoroscopy to assure safety and accuracy
   - Peripheral joint
   - Trigger point injections
   - Botox for soft tissue pain, spastic disorders and migraine headaches   
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Education and Training:
To become a PM&R physician, individuals must successfully complete 4 years of medical school and 4 additional years of residency training.  Residency training includes 1 year developing fundamental clinical skills and 3 additional years of training in the full scope of the specialty.  Additionally, our BSSI physicians have spent 1 year longer than the standard residency requirement, working in the spine and sports specialty that includes injection training.

There are 80 accredited residency programs in physical medicine and rehabilitation in the United States.  Many PM&R physicians choose to pursue additional advanced degrees (M.S., PhD) or complete fellowship training in a specific area of the specialty.  Fellowships are available for specialized study in such areas as musculoskeletal rehabilitation, pediatrics, traumatic brain injury, spinal cord injury and sports medicine.  To become board certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation, a PM&R physician must pass both a written and an oral examination given by the American Board of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (ABPM&R)
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Wellness Care:
-Personal training in our functional performance program
-Sports physicals
-Community lectures
-Workplace training/injury prevention
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