Dr. Erik Richard Ensrud M.D.

A neurologist or child neurologist who specializes in the diagnosis and management of disorders of nerve, muscle or neuromuscular junction, including amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, peripheral neuropathies (e.g., diabetic and immune mediated neuropathies), various muscular dystrophies, congenital and acquired myopathies, inflammatory myopathies (e.g., polymyositis, inclusion body myositis) and neuromuscular transmission disorders (e.g., myasthenia gravis, Lambert-Eaton myasthenic syndrome).

A Neurologist specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases or impaired function of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, muscles, autonomic nervous system, and blood vessels that relate to these structures.

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.

A physician who specializes in neuromuscular medicine possesses specialized knowledge in the science, clinical evaluation and management of these disorders. This encompasses the knowledge of the pathology, diagnosis and treatment of these disorders at a level that is significantly beyond the training and knowledge expected of a general neurologist, child neurologist or physiatrist.

Source: NUCC, CMS