Orthopedics, or orthopedic surgeons, treat a variety of musculoskeletal problems for people of all ages. They may try nonsurgical therapies before recommending surgery.
They may prescribe medication or recommend physical therapy to help you manage pain and improve your range of motion. They also offer injections or devices to help ease your symptoms.
Joint Replacements
When nonsurgical treatments like medications and physical therapy don’t relieve symptoms, you may need a joint replacement. This is a surgery to replace the damaged surface of your knee with an artificial joint called a prosthesis. This helps relieve pain, stiffness and improve your ability to move.송파정형외과
The surgery can be done under general or regional anesthesia. It’s important to begin moving your new knee as soon as possible — this will help prevent the muscles in the area from getting weak. Your doctor will provide you with a plan for how to do this.하남척추병원
Orthopedic surgeons also perform bone grafting to strengthen and repair diseased or injured bones. They use bone from another part of your body or a donated sample. They may also use synthetic bone implants and biological materials to promote new bone growth. The graft site is closed with sutures. They may also apply immobilization techniques to prevent pressure or movement on the affected bone, like using a brace or cast.
Arthritis Treatment
With 206 bones and nearly 650 muscles, the musculoskeletal system supports your body, provides stability and movement, protects vital organs, and circulates blood throughout the body. If you have an injury or condition that affects your muscles and bones, an orthopedist can treat you with medication, exercise, heat or cold treatment, physical therapy, acupuncture, braces, or surgery.
If you have arthritis, your doctor may recommend exercises to keep joints moving, such as swimming or walking. They might prescribe pain medications, including non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), corticosteroids or disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) that can help decrease inflammation and slow the progression of rheumatoid arthritis.
Your orthopedic specialist will also talk to you about what types of weather and seasons make your joint pain or stiffness worse. They might suggest ways to safely stay active during any season. They may also collaborate with pulmonologists or cardiologists, depending on your symptoms, if rheumatoid arthritis has affected other organs in the body.
Sports Injuries Treatment
Sports injuries are a common cause of pain and can affect the bones, joints, ligaments, muscles, and nerves. Symptoms include immediate onset of pain, swelling, stiffness, confusion, headache, and/or redness. Common sports injuries are muscle sprains, tendon tears, joint dislocations, and fractured bones. Proper warm-up and stretching can help prevent these types of injuries.
A specialized orthopedist, also known as a sports medicine physician, can diagnose these types of injuries and provide treatment. They will ask you about your medical history and perform a physical examination. They will also use imaging tests, such as X-rays, CT scans, or MRI to evaluate the injury and determine what treatment is needed. They may recommend rest, ice, compression, and elevation, or they might suggest splints, braces, or physical therapy. They might also prescribe pain medication or give you acupuncture. In severe cases, surgery might be necessary. This is especially true for head injuries, such as concussions. The brain needs time to heal from these traumatic injuries.
Back Pain Treatment
There are many causes of back pain, from sprains and muscle spasms to osteoarthritis and spinal problems. An orthopedist can help relieve the pain and improve mobility by using a variety of treatments.
These may include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to control pain, splints and braces to support the spine, and physical therapy to strengthen the muscles of the back. They also use “hands-on” manipulation techniques to reduce tight muscles and stiffness. Epidural injections of a steroid can provide short-term relief.
It’s important to follow your orthopedist’s advice, particularly when it comes to avoiding activities that increase your pain or cause flareups. But it’s important not to get discouraged if a treatment doesn’t help, or if the pain gets worse. Surgery may be an option after conservative treatments have been tried. Your doctor will review the risks and benefits of any procedure that’s recommended. Surgery can correct structural abnormalities that contribute to back pain, but it doesn’t guarantee relief or prevent the pain from recurring.