Jerome T. Nichols, MD

Physiatrist

Dr. Jerome T. Nichols is a Physiatrist in Roanoke, VA with special training and skill in treating medical conditions affecting the brain, spinal cord, nerves, bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and tendons. As a Physiatrist, Jerome T. Nichols, MD performs diagnostic imaging, testing, assessment, and treatment of disorders and injuries related to chronic joint pain, spinal injury, athletic injury, congenital birth defect, traumatic injury, and age-related pain conditions. Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (Physiatry) is a medical specialty focused on diagnosing and treating injuries and illnesses related to muscle, joint spine, nerve, bone, and neurological disorders. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Physiatrists include spinal cord injury, pulled and torn muscles, nerve disorders, fibromyalgia, athletic injury, chronic joint and muscle pain, arthritis, and other disorders affecting the body's muscles, joints, and nerves. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Physiatrists include CT, x-ray, and MRI imaging, nerve conduction testing, spinal injections, prolotherapy, nerve and muscle biopsy, acupuncture, fitting of prosthetics and orthotics, impairment assessment, patient and parent education, and ultrasound guided corrective procedures.

Physical medicine and rehabilitation, also referred to as rehabilitation medicine, is the medical specialty concerned with diagnosing, evaluating, and treating patients with physical disabilities. These disabilities may arise from conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system such as neck and back pain, sports injuries, or other painful conditions affecting the limbs, such as carpal tunnel syndrome. Alternatively, the disabilities may result from neurological trauma or disease such as spinal cord injury, head injury or stroke. A physician certified in physical medicine and rehabilitation is often called a physiatrist. The primary goal of the physiatrist is to achieve maximal restoration of physical, psychological, social and vocational function through comprehensive rehabilitation. Pain management is often an important part of the role of the physiatrist. For diagnosis and evaluation, a physiatrist may include the techniques of electromyography to supplement the standard history, physical, x-ray and laboratory examinations. The physiatrist has expertise in the appropriate use of therapeutic exercise, prosthetics (artificial limbs), orthotics and mechanical and electrical devices.

Sports Medicine Family Doctor

Dr. Jerome T. Nichols is a Sports Medicine Family Doctor in Roanoke, VA with special training and skill in preventing and treating illness and injury in children and adults who live physically active lifestyles. As a Sports Medicine Family Doctor, Jerome T. Nichols, MD performs pain and mobility assessment, treatment plan development, and mobility restoration treatment. Family Sports Medicine is a medical specialty focusing on treating illness and injury in children and adults who participate in physically active lifestyles, occupations, or athletics. Significant diseases and conditions treated by Sports Medicine Family Doctors include chronic joint and back pain, muscle sprain, nerve damage or dysfunction, hamstring injury, torn ACL, herniated spinal disc, knee injury, and physical injuries occurring as the result of athletics. Medical tests, procedures and therapies provided by Sports Medicine Family Doctors include MRI, x-ray, and CT scan imaging, corticosteroid pain injections, prescribing medication, nerve pain block injections, mobility assessment, medical massage, acupuncture, physical therapy rehabilitation, and referral to other specialists as needed.

A family medicine physician that is trained to be responsible for continuous care in the field of sports medicine, not only for the enhancement of health and fitness, but also for the prevention of injury and illness. A sports medicine physician must have knowledge and experience in the promotion of wellness and the prevention of injury. Knowledge about special areas of medicine such as exercise physiology, biomechanics, nutrition, psychology, physical rehabilitation, epidemiology, physical evaluation, injuries (treatment and prevention and referral practice) and the role of exercise in promoting a healthy lifestyle are essential to the practice of sports medicine. The sports medicine physician requires special education to provide the knowledge to improve the health care of the individual engaged in physical exercise (sports) whether as an individual or in team participation.