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Dr. Douglas Chang

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
San Diego, CA
23 years experience

Locations

Office

San Diego, CA

Address

200 W Arbor Dr, mail code 8894, San Diego, CA
Directions

University of California, San DIego

San Diego, CA

About

Specialties
Doctors may have more than one area of specialty interest. Board certification in a specialty area means the doctor has completed formal training and has practice experience in that specialty, and has passed the certification examination from the corresponding accredited medical specialty board.

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Languages spoken

English

Doctor Q&A

202 Answers
11 Agrees
The number of answers this doctor has agreed with.
A 30-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Two main ones: Sciatica (pinched nerve in the spine) hamstring muscle strain/tear.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 25-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Hope this helps: Exercise: http://www.apa.org/monitor/2011/12/exercise.aspx http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/depression/in-depth/depression-and-exercise... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
No: The condition refers to pain running down the leg.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 38-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Beware: 1) getting pushed and progressed too aggressively 2) getting passive modalities (hooked up to machines) and abandoned while the therapist pays attent... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 64-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
YES: Use your body as a guide, avoid positions that aggravate pain.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Several days: Depending on the test, 1-14 days usually.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Options: Pool, bicycling, some elliptical-treadmill work.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 36-year-old male asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Ignore: An interesting fact: rehabilitation actually begins best before (and not after) surgery..."prehab".
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 29-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Check this out!: http://vestibular.org/understanding-vestibular-disorder/treatment/treatment-detail-page.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 43-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Maybe: If you're blessed with good genes, yes you can manage a bit with diet alone. But it would be a lot easier to do it with both diet and exercise.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 39-year-old male asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
No: Not at all - it has to do with training and fitness level, will power, and to some extent genetics.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Bmi?: Is this normal growth or accelerated obesity? Check his body mass index, follow it over a few months and see a pediatrician if there is a problem. ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
So sorry: This is such an emotionally painful process i feel for you! we had great success with this book (for our first baby)... Ok success with it for the sec... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
DOMS: http://www.livestrong.com/article/449573-the-treatment-for-delayed-onset-muscle-soreness/.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 45-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Bone spurs: Like the mineral deposits that collect over the decades on our plumbing... http://www.grhealth.org/neuroscience-center/spine/spine-glossary/content... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 36-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Not really: Here are some details http://chronicfatigue.About.Com/b/2010/05/22/new-diagnostic-criteria-for-fibromyalgia.Htm.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 26-year-old male asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
So sorry: You can take Motrin up to 2400 mg per 24 hours, as long as your stomach tolerates it. Also try this (but i wouldn't emphasize the bouncing activities ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 54-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Not directly: C5 nerve causes referred pain to the arm, C6 nerve causes referred pain to the thumb. People with pinched nerves in the cervical spine will often a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 33-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
no: It has great specificity (when it shows a problem there's really a problem), but poor sensitivity (when the EMG does not show a problem there in fact ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 35-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Good: Sciatica: a review of history, epidemiology, pathogenesis, and the role of epidural steroid injection in management Br. J. Anaesth. (2007) 99 (4): 46... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 47-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
A 22-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Yes: absolutely. Epidural injections can be helpful... http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/325733-overview
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 21-year-old male asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
No: I can't see how those symptoms are related to a tailbone trauma.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Sciatica: sciatica is a common cause of bilateral leg pain in an otherwise healthy young adult... http://www.spine-health.com/conditions/sciatica/what-you-need... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Absolutely, yes.: Yes, you can get sciatica just in your calf with or without back pain. When you say there is no disk problem, is this known from a lumbar spine MRI?
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
???: Sounds like a non-traditional "fringe" treatment. I could be wrong, but I would be surprised if there is much credible evidence to support its use.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 39-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Here's some info: umbilical hernias http://www.patient.co.uk/doctor/abdominal-wall-hernias http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/189563-overview
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 25-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Meralgiaparesthetica: Maybe this is something relevant to you http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/meralgia-paresthetica/basics/definition/con-20030852
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Depends: depends on how bad the sprain is and how hard you want to ski... http://www.ehow.com/how_5587918_ski-sprained-ankle.html
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 26-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Clavicular pain: could be a separated shoulder http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/separated-shoulder/basics/definition/con-20029283 or sternoclavicular jo... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 16-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
For starters,an xray: You should get it checked. Here's some good info... http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/sport-injuries/knee-pain/medial-knee-pain
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 34-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Check out this paper: This is a great paper - but it might be hard for you to download it "A training program to improve neuromuscular and performance indices in female hi... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Some: For joints - glucosamine 1500 mg per day. No other supplements all that helpful compared to our regular diet, potentially hurtful on the pocketbook an... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 42-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
I don't think so: I can't really see a link.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 48-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Beware: Worst case scenario: epidural abscess. Get evaluated by md!
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Hmm: If the pain is within days/weeks of the colostomy then you need to get urgent evaluation by the general surgeon and your primary care provider. If the... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 20-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Generally not: "muscle relaxants" actually don't act directly on muscle. They are basically sedatives that act on your brain, and come in many different unrelated me... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 28-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
get checked: Not sure but it's not normal and you should get a physical and check some blood work.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 46-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Not sure: No direct correlation i can think of. Maybe the sinus condition is forcing you to sleep in an awkward position?
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 35-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Possibly: Infection and/or skin breakdown (abrasion, herpetic lesion, etc).
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 37-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
yes: The neuritis just refers to irritation of the spinal nerves, which can be from herniated disk, bone spur, post operative scar tissue, doctor caused tr... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 16-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
it can: But a full on pulmonary function test is more accurate.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Pool therapy: Stride in waist deep water across the pool, forward/backwards/sideways. Stand by the pool deck (in the water) and keeping a straight leg, use the leg ... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 54-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Yes...sort of: The Gabapentin and flexeril/elavil can make one sleepy initially but is tolerable after a while if you're on the right dose. Naproxen is ok as long as... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 27-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Not sure: Could be microtrauma/abrasions to the dry vaginal wall - try some lube and see if it helps. Don't think it's related to the periods.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 59-year-old male asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Get checked: Could be a rotator cuff shoulder problem or a pinched nerve in the neck.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 41-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
It can: If you engage in extreme exercise activities, yes it can.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 31-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Hmm.: Hard to say - if this refers to you... 31 is a bit "old" for the syndrome but milder forms are seen in older people... Not sure where/why your jumping... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 44-year-old member asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
It can: You can have your doc measure the CPK enzyme levels in your blood before and after... And then try going off for a few weeks and seeing if it makes a... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
A 52-year-old female asked:
Dr. Douglas Chang
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 23 years experience
Two things: 1) have a good stretching/strengthening program to keep everything balanced as possible 2) practice good osteoporosis prevention (calcium intake/we... Read More
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.

Testimonials
Recommendations and Thank you notes are endorsements given from patients or other doctors.

2
Recommendations
407
Thank you notes
HealthTap member
Mar 30, 2015
Dr. Chang is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Mar 31, 2015
Dr. Chang is an amazing doctor! #nationaldoctorsday2015 #virtualflower1
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! I had no idea I could take that much within a day. I'll avoid the boun
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! This was so great to have, I have shared with my aunt as well. Thank U
HealthTap member
Thank you, your answer was very helpful! Thanks for the details and comment vs. chiropractic therapy.

Education & Training

Medical/Graduate school

UC San Diego School of Medicine, CA
Graduated 2000MD

Awards

Top Physical Medicine and Rehab Specialist, First Place, California - Summer
2013
Top Physical Medicine and Rehab Specialist, First Place, California - Summer
2014
Top Physical Medicine and Rehab Specialist, Second Place, California - Fall
2014
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