This year's workshop was a tremendous success. Planning has already begun for next year's workshop and a list of interested physicians has been started. The National Naval Medical Center has added yet another specialty to its services by implementing the new Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Service, which gives patients an alternative to surgery. The service was implemented to provide assistance to patients with musculloskeletal problems such as arthritis, tendonitis and pain syndromes, or to patients who do not wish to have surgery or who are not surgery candidates. The services offered include musculoskeletal medicine, electrodiagnostic medicine and general rehabilitation.
Musculoskeletal medicine includes the evaluation of back or extremity problems.
Each newly referred patient receives a body evaluation, which determines if additional treatments such as x-rays, MRIs or labs are needed. Electrodiagnostic medicine includes the evaluation of nerve and muscle disorders such as carpal tunnel syndrome or pinched nerves. General rehabilitation includes the evaluation and management of functional limitations due to injury or disease. This includes neurologic patients who have suffered a stroke, or who have injuries that cause weakness, muscle imbalances or spinal cord injuries. Sometimes people fail to do the necessary things to prevent surgery.