Sie H. Kim, M.D.

Medical Specialties

Rehabilitation Medicine

Medical Expertise

Electrodiagnosis, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Back/Neck/Joint Rehabiliation, Chronic Pain Rehab, Stroke Rehab, Post Polio Syndrome, Neuromuscular Rehabilitation, Amputee/Limb Loss Rehab, Acupuncture, Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis *

Clinical Responsibilities

Dr. Kim is a nationally-recognized expert in the field of electrodiagnosis?including electromyography (EMG), in which muscle and nerve disorders are diagnosed by measuring electrical activity in the muscles; and evoked potential studies, which measure conductivity of the central nervous system in order to assess damage following a spinal cord injury. More than three decades of experience have given Dr. Kim a unique insight into these demanding disciplines. ?Evoked potential studies involve measurements of milliseconds,? he explains. ?To separate out the relevant signal from background noise takes a highly-developed expertise.? Performing an EMG measurement is equally challenging, he notes, since EMGs cannnot be reviewed by other practitioners for accuracy the way an MRI or CT scan image can.; ; As an attending Rusk physiatrist, Dr. Kim also provides rehabilitation care for patients with painful musculoskeletal-related conditions, including chronic or acute pain in the neck, back, arms or legs, as well as patients affected by stroke, spinal cord injury, or other neuromuscular disorders. After examining each patient, he then collaborates with Rusk?s therapists to design a comprehensive rehabilitation program. At times this may include pain-relieving acupuncture treatments administered by Dr. Kim himself. In these sessions, which involve inserting needles based on traditional acupuncture points, Dr. Kim mixes old and new by drawing on his experience with electrodiagnosis. ?Pain is very subjective,? he observes. ?Before EMG technology was developed, there was no way to measure it. But electromyography makes it possible to tell scientifically when a nerve is damaged and likely to cause pain, numbness, or some other sensation. It?s the first, and really still the only way to objectively understand what a patient is feeling.?; ; Dr. Kim, who is board-certified in rehabilitation medicine and electrodiagnostic medicine, devotes a large part of his practice to performing EMG evaluations of muscle and nerve function in patients with various neuromuscular conditions, including neck pain, back pain, different types of neuropathy (nerve damage) and muscle disease, neurological disorders like multiple sclerosis, and movement abnormalities. ?Most patients with neuromuscular disease need an EMG at various points,? he says, ?either to confirm a diagnosis, check their current condition, or predict their future progress.? In addition, he teaches electrodiagnostics to residents, and evaluates the performance of other physicians in the field.

Languages

Korean

Insurance

AETNA HMO, AETNA INDEMNITY, AETNA MEDICARE, AETNA POS, AETNA PPO, AFFINITY, AMERICHOICE, Cigna HMO/POS, Cigna PPO, EBCBS CHLD HLTH, EBCBS EPO, EBCBS HLTHY NY, EBCBS HMO, EBCBS INDEMNITY, EBCBS MEDIBLUE, EBCBS POS, EBCBS PPO, GHI CBP, GREATWEST PPO, HIP ACCESS I, HIP ACCESS II, HIP CHLD HLTH, HIP EPO/PPO, HIP HMO, HIP MEDICARE, HIP POS, LOCAL 1199 PPO, MAGNACARE PPO, MULTIPLAN/PHCS PPO, OXFORD FREEDOM, Oxford Liberty, Oxford Medicare, UHC EPO, UHC HMO, UHC POS, UHC PPO, UHC TOP TIER, UPN Elite

Insurance Disclaimer: Insurance listed above may not be accepted at all office locations. Please confirm prior to each visit. The information presented here may not be complete or may have changed.