Orthopedics is indeed a branch of medicine that does focus on the care of the musculoskeletal system. This system does consist of muscles, bones, joints, ligaments, as well as tendons.
A person who does specialize in orthopedics is known as an orthopedist.
What is orthopedics?
It is also known as orthopedic surgery and is a branch of medicine that does focus on the care of the skeletal system and its interconnecting parts like:
- Bones
- Joints
- Muscles
- Tendons
- Lligaments
- Nerves
There are usually two types of orthopedists: surgical as well as nonsurgical. The former is known as orthopedic surgeons, while nonsurgical orthopedists include physiatrists as well as physical medicine and also rehabilitation specialists.
An orthopedist often does work as part of a larger orthopedic treatment team. This team may include:
- Physician assistants
- Nurse practitioners
- Athletic trainers
- Occupational and physical therapists
What do orthopedists treat?
Orthopedists do treat a wide variety of musculoskeletal conditions. These conditions may be present from birth, or they may also result from an injury or age-related wear as well as tears.
Diagnosis
The orthopedist may suggest diagnostic tests like:
- an MRI scan
- a bone scan
- a CT scan
- an ultrasound
- nerve conduction studies
- blood tests
In-office procedures
An orthopedist may also carry out an in-office procedure to help diagnose and also treat certain musculoskeletal conditions.
An orthopedist will often carry out X-rays in-office, allowing them to diagnose certain conditions during a person’s appointment. They may also rather deliver injections, such as corticosteroid injections to relieve inflammation, and also perform ultrasound scans.
Some acute injuries, like fractures and dislocations, do require the orthopedist to manipulate the bone or even the joint and immobilize it by making use of a splint, cast, or brace.
Treatment options
For chronic musculoskeletal conditions:
- over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medications
- rehabilitation as well as physical therapy
- home exercise programs
- injections
- acupuncture
- mobility aids
- surgery, when other treatments fail
Types of orthopedic practices
An orthopedist may indeed specialize in a particular branch of orthopedic medicine. These branches are known as subspecialties.
A few orthopedic subspecialties include:
- hand cum upper extremity
- foot and also ankle or podiatry
- orthopedic oncology, including tumor and cancer care
- pediatric orthopedics
- sports medicine
- spine surgery
- trauma surgery
- joint replacement surgery
Which operations can orthopedic surgeons perform?
Total joint replacement (TJR)
TJR surgery happens to be one of the most common elective surgeries in the United States.
Arthroscopic surgery
Arthroscopic surgery happens to be a minimally invasive procedure that makes use of an arthroscope to diagnose joint problems.
An arthroscope, a long, thin camera is the size of a buttonhole and the orthopedic surgeon will rather insert in into a person’s joint, most commonly the knee or perhaps shoulder. The camera connects to a video monitor that sort of allows them to see the inside of the joint.
The surgeon then makes use of several small, thin instruments to fix several issues by making minor additional incisions.
Arthroscopic surgery of the knee happens to be the most common type of orthopedic surgery.
Fracture repair surgery
An orthopedic surgeon can suggest fracture repair surgery for restoring the normal anatomy of a more severely broken bone. To stabilize the bone, they can make use of different types of implants. These include rods, plates, screws, as well as wires.
Bone grafting surgery
Orthopedic surgeons can do bone grafting to enhance bone regeneration when a person’s body cannot produce enough new bone.
In bone grafting surgery, an orthopedic surgeon does use bone from a person’s body or a donor to be able to repair and also strengthen diseased or damaged bones.
Spinal fusion
During a spinal fusion surgery, the doctor tends to fuse two or more vertebrae to correct problems with the spine.
Conclusion
Orthopedics focuses on treating injuries as well as diseases of the musculoskeletal system. It helps to visit the best orthopedic hospital in Hyderabad.
