Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Doctor

Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation

At Casper Orthopedics, our fellowship-trained physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist is an expert in assessing, diagnosing, and treating acute and chronic injuries and conditions.

A physiatrist is a medical doctor who specializes in the field of physical medicine and rehabilitation, also called physiatry. Physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors do not perform surgery. Instead, they specialize in offering patients nonsurgical treatment options and rehabilitation services, such as physical therapy, injections, pain management, medications, and lifestyle modifications.

Physiatrists particularly focus on functional goals with the overall goal of returning patients to their normal daily activities. These physicians help patients gain greater mobility and functional independence, manage a condition, and find pain relief. Physical medicine and rehabilitation is a broad field, and physiatrists care for patients with amputations, musculoskeletal pain, brain injuries, concussions, multiple sclerosis, neuromuscular disorders, strokes, spasticity, chronic pain, nerve injuries, spinal cord injuries, and sports-related injuries.

When Should You Visit Our Physiatrist?

Our fellowship-trained physiatrist is specialty-trained in sports medicine. This means he has completed the broader training of physical medicine and rehabilitation and is a board-certified physiatrist, but he has also completed an extra year of training in sports-related injuries and conditions and is a board-certified sports medicine physician. Our physiatrist specifically treats:

  • Acute sports-related injuries
  • Sports-related fatigue or performance issues
  • Sports nutrition issues
  • Sports-related concussions and symptoms following such concussions (including headaches, dizziness, confusion, sleep issues, difficulty returning to work or school, etc.)
  • Acute and chronic joint pain
  • Arthritis
  • Acute and chronic tendon and muscle injuries
  • Calcific tendonitis
  • Bone fractures
  • Neck pain
  • Back pain
  • Muscle spasms and spasticity
  • Numbness or tingling
  • Peripheral nerve injuries
  • Slow recovery following a surgery

If you have any of the conditions or symptoms listed above, our physiatrist will likely be able to help diagnose and treat your problem. Remember, it's important to be aware of the specific issues surrounding your orthopedic injury or condition so that you can tell our physiatrist specifically what you are experiencing. Sharing this information with our physiatrist can help him better understand what might be causing your pain and what treatments to offer.

Our physiatrist is an expert in providing and using the following nonoperative treatments, diagnostic tools, and care techniques to treat your specific condition:

  • Botox injections
  • Concussion management
  • Diagnostic musculoskeletal ultrasound
  • Electromyography (EMG) and nerve conduction studies
  • Extracorporeal shockwave therapy
  • Peripheral nerve blocks
  • Lumbar spine epidural steroid injections
  • Lumbar spine facet joint injections

Our physiatrist understands that an injury and pain can alter a patient's daily lifestyle. That's why he is dedicated to providing patients with expert rehabilitation care to get them back to the activities they love. To schedule an appointment with our doctor specializing in physiatry at our main office in Casper, please call (307) 265-7205 or click on the Appointment Request button.

Experience Proven Results at Casper Orthopedics

Our fellowship-trained physiatrist, Trevor P. Gessel, M.D., provides patients with compassionate and experienced physical medicine and rehabilitation care for a variety of musculoskeletal and peripheral neurological disorders. When a doctor is fellowship-trained, it means they have completed an extra year of schooling that focused on a specific body part or area of specialty, like sports medicine. With this additional training, our physiatrist has the knowledge and expertise to diagnose and treat your orthopedic injury or condition.

Working closely with our physical medicine and rehabilitation expert, our specialty-trained physical and occupational therapists provide comprehensive physical therapy and rehabilitation services. Our entire team is focused on developing a treatment plan that is specific to your goals and needs in order to get you back to your active lifestyle.

To schedule an appointment with our physiatrist, please call (307) 265-7205 or request an appointment online.