Have you had an injury and been referred to an orthopedic doctor? Have you seen an orthopedic doctor before or are you wondering what exactly that doctor will do for you? Here is a brief overview of what your local orthopedic doctor is able to do for anyone that finds themselves in need.
Orthopedics is a type of medicine that is primarily focused on injuries to areas of the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system includes all the human bodies bones, joints, ligaments and tendons as well as muscles and nerves. This would also include the spine and joint injuries that occur as well as deformities. Orthopedics has many branches under the banner of the discipline of orthopedics. You can find surgeons, rheumatologists, physical therapist and even orthopedic pediatricians.
When you consider that over 28 million Americans develop some kind of musculoskeletal problem each year according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), you can start to understand the importance of an orthopedic doctor being able to help you with diagnosis, treatment, prevention and rehabilitation. Most of these injuries range from being back and shoulder as well as knee pain, along with sprains, strains and overuse injuries.
Most of the time doctors in orthopedics will work in specialized practices and in the hospitals system. They treat broken bones, joint problems such as arthritis and other degenerative conditions like osteoporosis. You can find them treating athletes with sports injuries as well as infections, congenital conditions and also tumors in the bones. Orthopedics can be as minor as tr
eating a sprained ankle all the way through to performing a hip transplant.
If you have a joint or bone issue that you need advice and assistance with, you can easily see your orthopedic specialist to get a diagnosis and advice regarding pain management, treatment options and also recovery time.
If you don’t know when to consult an orthopedist, a good rule of thumb is to check in if you feel any continuous discomfort in your joints. This doesn’t mean stick it out with the pain for a year or so before making the appointment, though. If pain in a certain joint lasts over a month, you should contact an orthopedic doctor.
Orthopedic surgery is not always necessary. Many hold off on appointments because they fear that issues they may have will mean they’ll be forced into a procedure. This is not usually the case, many people see orthopedists for simple hand and wrist conditions, or for sports medicine. Health myths should not prevent you from making an appointment.
Another thing to note is that many orthopedic surgeons can help you with physical therapy for any joint pain (or refer you to another practice that can). Fixing these issues in joints can lead to a higher standard of living, and the benefits are immense! Physical therapy will help you improve the flexibility and movements of your joints, allowing you to use them more freely, without the pain.
If you are interested in meeting with an orthopedic surgeon Call 713-766-0023 or visit www.wjbryanmd.com to schedule an appointment with Dr. William Bryan. He’s been in practice for over thirty-five years at the Texas Medical Center in Houston.