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An orthopedic doctor diagnoses and treats diseases or injuries related to the locomotor system. Orthopedics covers not only ailments resulting from the malfunctioning of the skeletal system (without the skull bone), but also any disorders of ligaments, joints, muscles, tendons or nerves.

Orthopedic doctordeals with diseases of the musculoskeletal system.Orthopedicsis a very broad field of medicine, including posture defects, degenerative changes, all kinds of inflammation, bone or joint infections, damage to peripheral nerves, neoplastic diseases, diseases of the muscular system, metabolic or genetically determined diseases. Traumatology (trauma surgery) is closely related to orthopedics, which deals with the diagnosis and treatment, including surgery, of all kinds of injuries: fractures, sprains, sprains of bones, joints, ligaments and tendons.

Orthopedic doctor - what diseases can an orthopedist diagnose?

  • diseases of the spine (including degenerative changes of the spine, discopathies, disc hernia, stenosis of the spinal canal)
  • Scheuermann's disease, i.e. aseptic necrosis of the spine
  • Ollier disease, or chondrosis
  • posture defects (including scoliosis, kyphosis, lordosis, flat feet, varus foot, hallux valgus)
  • overload changes (e.g. prepatellar bursitis, tennis elbow, supraspinatus syndrome, heel spur, carpal tunnel syndrome)
  • Dupuytren's disease
  • sterile bone necrosis (e.g. Kienbock's disease)
  • hip diseases (including sterile femoral head necrosis, osteoarthritis of the hip joint)
  • bone tumors
  • inflammatory diseases of bones and joints
  • injuries (fractures, dislocations, sprains, including fractures and dislocations of the talus, patellar instability, meniscus injuries)
  • birth defects (e.g. torticollis, congenital hip dysplasia)

Orthopedic doctor - what examinations does the orthopedist perform?

Patients complaining of pain most often come to an orthopedic doctor, because it is often the first sign that something disturbing is happening in the body. The easiest to diagnose are injuries (sprains, fractures,sprains), because they usually give unambiguous symptoms. The situation is different in the case of, for example, degenerative diseases of the spine, the first symptoms of which are often non-specific, e.g. pain in the area of ​​the sternum, tinnitus, migraines, numbness in the legs.

The doctor conducts a detailed interview with the patient, asks about past illnesses. It is worth taking with you the results of the tests performed so far, e.g. X-rays of the spine (cervical, thoracic or lumbar), on the basis of which the orthopedist can assess the condition of the spine. In case of any doubts, he or she orders tests, usually X-ray, ultrasound, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging. When necessary, it can refer the patient to more detailed examinations, e.g. arthrography. This is a form of MRI that can be used to see the detailed structures of a joint. Arthrography is ordered, for example, in diseases related to the shoulder joint or the knee joint. Another additional test is densitometry - it measures the mineral density of the bone tissue.

Orthopedics deals not only with the diagnosis of diseases and injuries, but also with prevention, especially of children. The first visit to the orthopedist should take place a few weeks after giving birth. The aim of the examination is to exclude hip dysplasia in a newborn. If your doctor has any doubts, he or she will order an ultrasound scan. Later, children with posture problems, e.g. with suspected scoliosis, lordosis or flat feet, are consulted by an orthopedist. He may order the wearing of specialized footwear or refer the child to rehabilitation classes.

Orthopedics - treatment methods used in orthopedics

The treatment methods that are used by an orthopedic surgeon depend on the disease they are dealing with. Most often, treatment involves pharmacology, especially when the patient is in pain (e.g., antispasmodics or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs). The orthopedic surgeon may also decide to refer the patient to physiotherapy (e.g. massage, currents, electrotherapy, active exercises in unloading). In some cases conservative methods are used (e.g. immobilization with dressings or corsets) or the doctor decides about a surgical operation. It should be remembered that after many orthopedic surgeries, the patient must undergo appropriate rehabilitation to regain full fitness.

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Source: x-news.pl/Lifestyle.newseria.pl

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