Orthopedic doctors specialize in injuries and conditions affecting the musculoskeletal system, including the tendons, bones, ligaments, joints and nerves. While general practitioners can help with minor injuries, seeing an orthopedic specialist for serious or chronic conditions is best.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, musculoskeletal problems consistently rank among the top three reasons for seeing a doctor. The American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons recently revealed that 1 in 4 Americans has some sort of musculoskeletal impairment. Injuries and ongoing problems cost the U.S. around $850 billion each year.
Orthopedics for Acute Injuries and Chronic Conditions
Special medical attention is necessary to support proper healing and optimal function going forward when any type of musculoskeletal injury occurs. These specialized services are available from an orthopedic doctor who can assist with diagnostics and a personalized treatment plan.
Musculoskeletal injuries can occur for a variety of reasons: sports accidents, slip and falls, workplace injuries, and more. When an acute injury occurs, it’s best to talk to an orthopedic doctor as soon as possible. The earlier you seek treatment, the better the likelihood of minimizing potential complications.
Even if you aren’t physically active or in any accidents, there is still a risk of muscle tissue damage from the wear and tear that happens on a daily basis. Examples of regular activities that can cause musculoskeletal pain include repetitive movements in the workplace, prolonged computer use, poor posture and more.
The Type of Conditions Treated by Orthopedic Doctors
Diagnostics and treatment plans are available for a full range of musculoskeletal conditions, such as:
- Osteoporosis
- Bone Fractures
- Muscle Strains
- Muscular Dystrophy
- Bone Tumors
- Joint Pain
- Sprains
- Tendon Tears
- Limb Abnormalities
- Tennis Elbow
- Runner’s Knee
- Back Pain
- Sciatica
- Hip Dysplasia
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Arthritis
- And More
Any time a condition or injury affects the tendons, ligaments, nerves, joints, muscles or bones, then it’s best to go straight to an orthopedic specialist instead of a general practitioner. In fact, an appointment with a primary care physician for these types of conditions often results in a referral to an orthopedic doctor.
How an Orthopedic Doctor Can Help
What should you expect when you visit an orthopedic doctor for an acute or chronic condition? There are several priorities during the appointment and subsequent treatment plan:
Diagnosis
Getting an accurate diagnosis is critical to ensure that you follow the ideal treatment plan going forward. Before an orthopedic doctor recommends treatments, it’s necessary first to complete testing and imaging to determine the underlying cause of your pain.
The more the doctor knows about your condition, the more effective your treatment plan will be. So, it’s essential for the doctor to complete the right testing and diagnostics to ensure that they have a clear understanding about the specific conditions being treated.
Pain Management
The next priority is to relieve your pain. Often, pain management starts during the diagnosis process to help you find relief as soon as possible.
Initial pain management might include the use of medication to mask the symptoms. But an experienced orthopedic doctor will continue with other treatment options that address the underlying cause.
Pain management can help reduce the symptoms enough, so a patient can proceed with other treatments, such as physical therapy, in-office interventions and more.
Range of Motion
The next thing that will be addressed in a personalized treatment plan is to protect and improve your range of motion.
Swelling, stiffness and joint pain can take a toll on your range of motion, which has a domino effect on almost every other area of your life. For example, a limited range of motion can make it hard to bend over, clean the house, shower or go grocery shopping.
Orthopedic doctors use treatments such as physical therapy, at-home stretching and other modalities to help with your range of motion. Sometimes, surgery is necessary to help with your range of motion.
Injury Treatment
Another critical component offered by an orthopedic doctor is a treatment plan to speed up and improve overall recovery after an injury. One benefit is that orthopedic doctors have a variety of treatment solutions in one location, giving you access to full-service options to address your unique injuries.
Available treatments might include steroid injections, medications, physical therapy, surgery and more.
Even when you visit an orthopedic surgeon, it doesn’t necessarily mean that surgery will be recommended. Instead, our team of orthopedic specialists is proactive about using minimally invasive treatments first. Then, if these initial treatments don’t work, more invasive methods might be considered.
Injury Prevention
You don’t need to wait until an injury occurs before talking to an orthopedic doctor. One option is to meet with a specialist proactively so you can learn about lifestyle habits, exercises and treatment plans that prevent injury.
For example, athletes often work with orthopedic doctors who specialize in sports medicine. As a result, exercise and training routines can be designed to help with strengthening, stretching, flexibility and range of motion.
Including these proactive exercises in an athlete’s training routine improves the overall body function, which has a positive benefit of reducing the risk of injury in the future.
Injury prevention is an excellent solution for both professional athletes and weekend warriors alike. Regardless of your fitness level or abilities, there are always benefits available from working with an orthopedic doctor to prevent injury while participating in an active lifestyle.
Management of Chronic Conditions
When a patient is living with a chronic condition, working with an orthopedic doctor on an ongoing basis can be helpful.
Chronic condition management aims to prevent injury, manage symptoms and prevent the condition from worsening.
Full-Service Care from an Orthopedic Surgeon
Not all orthopedic doctors are surgeons. But all orthopedic surgeons are orthopedic doctors. If you meet with an orthopedic doctor or specialist, they are qualified and experienced in diagnosing, assessing and treating your conditions using minimally invasive treatments.
On the other hand, orthopedic surgeons are qualified to offer everything that an orthopedic specialist offers, as well as surgical interventions as needed.
One hesitation a patient might feel about talking with an orthopedic doctor is that many of these specialists are surgeons. As a result, you might be worried about consulting with a surgeon for fear that the doctor might be eager to recommend that you go “under the knife.”
While there are times when surgery is the best course of action, orthopedic doctors also offer a variety of other minimally invasive treatments as well. At OrthoTexas, we use minimally invasive therapies first, with surgery being an option when the other treatments aren’t working.
Non-surgical treatments might include a variety of services.
- Rest and recovery
- Rehabilitation or physical therapy
- Oral medications
- Injection medications
- Lifestyle adjustments
Signs You Need to See an Orthopedic Specialist
How do you know when it’s time to visit an orthopedic specialist? Here are a few signs that you will benefit from these medical services:
- Persistent pain lasting more than 3 months
- Severe pain from an acute injury
- Decrease in range of motion
- Discomfort or pain when walking
- Any chronic condition, such as arthritis or fibromyalgia
- Progressive pain in the hips or knees
- Pain that is taking a toll on your daily activities
- Instability when you stand, walk or attempt to change positions
- Persistent redness, heat, tenderness, swelling or stiffness in the injured area
- Sustained or dangerously elevated fever
- Joint pain that intensifies while you are resting
- Lack of improvement after physical therapy
You should most definitely see a specialist if your regular doctor recommends a joint replacement.
Visiting a Primary Care Provider vs. an Orthopedic Specialist
With any medical treatment, the first line of treatment is usually accessed through a primary care physician. This doctor partners with individuals and families to offer ongoing medical care. Not only do primary care physicians assist with illnesses and pain, but they are an excellent resource for preventive medical care as well.
But since primary care physicians are generalists, they don’t have the in-depth training or education you can access by meeting with a specialist.
Often, primary care physicians will provide basic medical care, then refer patients to specialists when the care needs extend beyond what the doctor can offer. For example, a primary care physician might prescribe pain medication for a back injury. But if the pain continues, then they will recommend that you talk to a back specialist.
You can talk to your primary care physician first to see if you need a referral. Or, there is an option to meet with an orthopedic doctor immediately. For example, if you are experiencing knee pain or a foot injury, it makes sense to go to a specialist instead of a general doctor.
Most patients have the option to visit an orthopedic doctor without a referral. But check with your insurance provider to see if a referral is necessary to access the payment coverage that you need.
What You Can Expect During Your Visit
Doctors are responsible for diagnosis, treatment, rehabilitation and prevention of further injuries. In order to do a good job, they have to have a lot of information about your injury, your lifestyle and your general health.
When you go to your first appointment, wear clothing that allows them full access to the area of the injury. If your knee is bothering you, wear shorts.
Allow time for paperwork. Pay special attention to the health history questionnaire. Medical conditions that seem unrelated to your injury could have great bearing on your treatment plan. Be sure to list any medications, nutritional supplements or herbal remedies that you take. If you need pain management, the doctor will have to make sure that nothing you take interacts with it.
You might be baffled by the many questions put to you at the initial consultation, but answer them honestly and thoroughly. The specialist is trying to get a comprehensive understanding of exactly what the problem is and how to approach it.
If you are seeing a doctor because of an injury, one of the first things they will ask is how it happened. Maybe you slipped on a bar of soap in the shower and are embarrassed to say so. You may be tempted to say that you were crossing the finish line in a grueling marathon. Don’t. Knowing how an injury occurred is vital to helping it heal and preventing it from happening again.
If you schedule with an expert in sports medicine, be sure to inform them of all the sports, training programs and workouts that you participate in.
Before they address the injury, the doctor will give you a thorough physical examination. In addition to checking your heart rate and blood pressure, they will most likely test your reflexes, muscle strength and range of motion.
They might schedule an MRI, X-rays or a stress test. Arthroscopy is another useful tool for getting a good look inside. In that procedure, the surgeon makes a tiny incision in the skin. Fiber optics makes it possible for them to study the joint structure on a monitor. If they see a fairly simple problem, they may decide to repair it at that time. Arthroscopy is not nearly as complicated as conventional surgery, and there is minimal recovery time.
Unless the diagnosis is completely dependent on test results, the specialist will recommend a treatment regimen. It could be as simple as doing certain exercises at home, or it may involve several weeks of physical therapy.
Usually, surgery or joint replacement is suggested only after noninvasive methods have failed. According to Orthopedics Today magazine, around 80 percent of all treatments take place on an outpatient basis.
Choosing an Orthopedic Expert
Did you know that most orthopedic doctors choose a specialty? Even though they are trained on all parts of the musculoskeletal system, it’s common for doctors to hone in on a specific part of the body.
Often, orthopedic doctors sub-specialize in a specific treatment area. For example, if you are experiencing pain in your wrists and hands because of carpal tunnel syndrome, then there is a benefit to meeting with an orthopedic doctor who focuses on hand and wrist cases.
Or, if you have knee or hip pain, you can talk to a joint surgeon specializing in this part of the body. There are many different types of orthopedic subspecialties.
- Knee
- Hip
- Hand and wrist
- Foot and ankle
- Neck
- Back
- Shoulder and Elbow
Meeting with a specialist means that you can expect next-level precision in the diagnostic and treatment implementation. Plus, the doctor’s in-depth knowledge about this part of the body gives them unique insights to help with prevention.
You can access specialty doctors at OrthoTexas who specialize in:
- Trauma Surgery
- Hand
- Sports Medicine
- Ankle and Foot
- Shoulder and Elbow
- Knee and Hip
- Spine
For more information about these services, contact our OrthoTexas team. You can book an appointment using our online form.
Your path to recovery starts here. Schedule an appointment with OrthoTexas or find a location near you.