What is the name of the orthopedist in the health center?

If you find that you are sick, you should see your specialist more often. Initially after each treatment block and then at least every 6 months.

Orthopedist: What does he do, what does he treat?

Every person will have to see most doctors in the course of their life - general practitioners and surgeons, especially in the outpatient sector, treat the most common diseases. They may have some type of subspecialization that deepens their knowledge of a particular body system. These doctors are therefore much more familiar with diseases of the digestive or nervous system, allowing them to better diagnose and treat various ailments.

But what does a podiatrist do? Contrary to the misconception of many patients, an orthopedist does not adjust braces or orthopedic devices. Orthopedics is a fairly broad branch of medicine that deals with the study of the normal development of the musculoskeletal system. And the knowledge acquired over years of practice makes it possible to treat a variety of diseases that lead to malfunctions of the skeletal elements.

Without realizing it, people are closely observed by orthopedists from an early age. Immediately after birth, in kindergarten and school, before enlistment, doctors assess the musculoskeletal system of the growing body. However, when pathology occurs, modern treatment methods are used at any age to restore the ease of usual movements.

species

The specialty of orthopedic surgeon is often combined with another, more general profession. In this way, the orthopedist is able to isolate those patients who actually have permanent joint changes. For this reason, orthopedists are often combined with the following specialists:

1. A trauma surgeon deals with various skeletal injuries that are associated with skeletal dysfunction. He will choose the most appropriate treatment for a fracture, sprain or other injury so that the bones and joints regain their previous stability and mobility.
2. The general surgeon is confronted with various skeletal deformities in his practice (scoliosis, tunnel syndromes) so that he can improve his orthopedic skills.
3. The pediatrician monitors the normal development of the child and, with appropriate training, can prevent the development of diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
4. The rehabilitation therapist often also has a master's degree in orthopedics, which allows them to properly apply therapeutic exercises and physical therapy.

The subject of orthopedics is not only permanent impairments of the musculoskeletal system, but also functional changes that are usually not visible to the patient.

Adult

If the disorder does not require radical elimination - surgery - it can be treated conservatively. These include the following conditions that require monitoring and treatment by an orthopedist:

• Any fracture where complete healing is questionable. Bone regrowth is a rather lengthy process, during which pathological changes in the muscles and ligaments often occur.
• Habitual or chronic sprains – they inevitably lead to the destruction of joint tissue and complete loss of mobility.
• Static or dynamic skeletal deformities - most commonly orthopedists have to treat scoliosis, in which the spine curves in different planes.
• Damage to the nervous system sometimes leads to a change in muscle tone, which directly leads to impaired joint mobility.

Fracture of a limb: what does the doctor do?

For example, a patient broke his leg. That's why he needs to go to an orthopedic traumatologist. The specialist will examine the injury and prescribe an X-ray for the patient. The doctor can use the x-ray to assess the severity of the injury and examine its details. If there are no complications, the trauma orthopedic specialist will repair the fracture and move the damaged bone into the correct position so that it can heal and anatomically integrate. To repair the fracture, the doctor applies a plaster cast, which is removed from the patient's leg only after 2-3 months.

Today, orthopedists and traumatologists are restoring the lives of their patients by treating diseases and injuries that seemed hopeless and incurable just a few decades ago. For example, patients with advanced knee osteoarthritis had little chance of moving and walking independently in the future. However, thanks to the possibility of surgical joint replacement, patients can now lead active lives.

When does it make sense to see this doctor?

So let's try to understand in detail what an orthopedist and trauma surgeon does and when you should see this specialist. The scope of a doctor's professional activity is almost unlimited:

• Fractures of any severity;
• abnormal fusions of bones;
• sprains of ligaments and muscle tissue;
• chronic diseases of the joints, limbs, spine;
• Poliomyelitis;
• Osteoporosis;
• foot deformities, thoracic deformities;
• frostbite on the limbs;
• flat feet.

In general, orthopedists deal with:

• Diagnosis of an orthopedic injury or condition
• Treatment with medication, exercise, surgery, or other procedures
• Rehabilitation, recommending exercises or physical therapy to restore movement, strength and function.
• Prevention using information and treatment systems to prevent injuries or slow disease progression.

Typically, up to 50 % of orthopedic pathology relates to non-surgical or conservative treatment of injuries or illnesses and 50 % to surgery.

Surgery may be necessary to restore function lost to bones, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves, or skin due to injury or disease.

An orthopedist also works closely with other medical specialists and often acts as a consultant for other doctors. Orthopedic surgeons are members of teams that deal with complex, multisystem injuries and often play an important role in organizing and delivering emergency care.

A field known for innovation

As in other areas of medicine, remarkable technological advances in orthopedics have had a decisive impact on the field in recent years.

Arthroscopy – the use of imaging techniques to diagnose and surgically treat internal joint diseases – has opened up new horizons for therapy.

Exciting cell research could in the future enable orthopedists to stimulate the growth of ligaments and bones in patients.

There have been great advances in the surgical treatment of osteoarthritis. Orthopedic surgeons can replace the affected joint with a prosthesis (total joint replacement).

Research is currently underway to 'grow' articular cartilage into the joints so that one day some people will no longer need joint replacements.

Most orthopedic surgeons practice general orthopedics, but some specialize in foot, hand, shoulder, spine, hip and knee, and others specialize in pediatrics, traumatology or sports medicine. Some orthopedic surgeons may specialize in more than one area.

What examinations should be performed when visiting an orthopedic trauma surgeon?

There are a number of tests that should be carried out at every visit to the doctor as this will speed up the diagnosis of your condition. Let's take a look at what examinations should be carried out when visiting an orthopedic trauma surgeon.

• General urine and blood test.
• Examination of blood clotting.
• Analysis of thromboplastin time.
• Prothrombin time (PT)+ fibrinogen.
• Prothrombin time (PT).

The orthopedic trauma surgeon will prescribe the exact list of examinations to be carried out. In some cases, the doctor takes the tests himself and examines them.

What diagnostic methods does the orthopedist/traumatologist use?

Each doctor has his own diagnostic methods to diagnose the disease and prescribe appropriate treatment. Let's look at the diagnostic methods that an orthopedic trauma surgeon uses.

• Visual examination – here the condition is determined based on external signs.
• The palpation method is used for deformities and anomalies. This method allows the doctor to determine the complexity of the disease and determine its causes.
• X-ray method – is mandatory for fractures, bruises and dislocations. It allows the orthopedist/traumatologist to visually assess the problem and choose the ideal treatment.
• Redression – is a method of closed surgical intervention. With this method, the doctor corrects pathological problems and deformities with his hands. It is used for curvatures of the limbs and fractures that have not healed properly.

When should an appointment not be postponed?

You should not postpone visiting a specialist if the patient has symptoms of serious pathologies:

• numbness of the limbs;
• acute pain;
• Pain in the joints, even when the weather changes;
• swelling of the joints, difficulty moving them;
• Crunching in the joints when changing body position.

People with known illnesses or injuries should see an orthopedist regularly. You should not miss any appointments and contact your doctor immediately if your condition worsens.

What diseases does an orthopedist treat?

Due to the different specializations in this area of medicine, patients need to know which orthopedist they should see in different cases. In the table you will find descriptions of the tasks of each doctor.

Orthopedic specialties

• Joint pain occurs after an infectious disease;
• acute joint pain, even in the absence of trauma;
• Loss of natural body shape in the joint area, hot skin, changed skin color;
• when pain occurs without exertion;
• difficulty moving the spine, joints and limbs;
• Increase in body temperature during pain attacks.

• Soft tissue diseases near the joints: epicondylitis, tendinitis, synovitis, bursitis, fasciitis.
• Diffuse connective tissue diseases: arthritis, scleroderma, cutaneous rheumatism, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatic heart disease.
• Vasculitis: hemorrhage, Wegener's granulomatosis, Behcet and Buerger's disease and others.
• Joint pathologies: arthritis in various forms, gout.

• Restoration of the spine, long bones using various types of prostheses, rungs and brackets;
• surgical interventions;
• Bone fixation with special bandages and connections;
• selecting and prescribing medical supplies such as shoes, corsets and suspenders;
• Use of conservative methods, including physiotherapy and massage.

diagnostic methods

The following diagnostic methods are used in traumatology:

• X-rays – are most commonly done because they can clearly determine the type of bone damage.
• Ultrasound – is necessary to examine the condition of the joints, as well as detect accumulations of blood and pus in the tissues and injuries to internal organs.
• CT and MRI – are performed to show the problematic area of the body layer by layer.
• Plantoscopy – diagnosis of flat feet.
• Therapeutic and diagnostic puncture of the synovial fluid in the joint capsule.

reference! A complication of a bone fracture or bone surgery may be fat embolism (the consequences of fatty tissue entering the lumen of a blood vessel). In this case, a urine test can help determine the presence of this complication.

Subspecialties

When speaking of narrower specialties, the following activities can be distinguished:

• Pediatric traumatology (patients up to 18 years old),
• sports-related injuries,
• Prosthetics,
• bone tumor surgery,
• correction of spinal problems,
• Elimination of intra-articular injuries,
• treatment of burns,
• hand surgery,
• military traumatology.

When should I see an orthopedic trauma surgeon?

Medical consultation is necessary if symptoms are bothersome and persistent or in emergencies such as

• for muscle sprains;
• for emergency treatment of broken bones or if the bones are not healing properly;
• if the patient suffers from arthrosis;
• for swollen joints;
• if you have persistent pain in the spine, arms, legs or joints;
• with irregular gait, lameness;
• Frostbite of the extremities, which impairs the function of the blood vessels.

When visiting the doctor

At his workplace, the orthopedist and trauma surgeon performs various interventions and procedures depending on the problem the patient comes to him with. For an open fracture, the doctor will bandage the wound, realign the bones, and apply a plaster or biopolymer cast to immobilize it. He explains to the patient how to care for the dressings and the patient comes in for a dressing change at regular intervals.

If a patient comes to the orthopedist/traumatologist with severe joint pain, he will perform a therapeutic blockade. In this way, pain and inflammation in the tissues and joints are relieved and blood circulation is restored. As part of recovery therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, chondroprotectors and B vitamins are prescribed.

Therapeutic exercises are essential for patients with a weak musculoskeletal system because movement is life. Once the acute pain has subsided, the patient usually needs to move to restore normal function. Massage courses are effective.

Endoprosthesis techniques are widespread, in which the diseased joint is replaced by an artificial endoprosthesis during an operation.

Arthroscopy of the joint is a popular surgical procedure that provides an accurate diagnosis and immediate treatment. It is a minimally invasive procedure. The patient is discharged from the clinic on the 2nd or 3rd day after the operation and can return to physical work just 3 weeks later.

When is it necessary to see an orthopedic surgeon?

Early symptoms of orthopedic diseases are often subtle and not clearly noticeable. It is therefore advisable to consult a doctor if you suspect anything.

Symptoms of musculoskeletal disorders:

• Deformations and malfunctions of all components.
• Joint pain, spinal discomfort, including chronic, excruciating pain when the weather changes.
• Stiffness in the morning.
• Nausea in the extremities.
• Severe posture problems.
• Swelling and redness of the skin covering the joint.

What diseases are treated by an orthopedist?

Congenital anomalies of the musculoskeletal system:

• Dysplasia is an anatomical misalignment of the femoral head. If diagnosed before the age of 1 year, conservative treatment is usually sufficient.
• Torsion is caused by congenital shortening of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and often develops after a difficult birth.
• Clubfoot is a pathology in which the sole of the foot turns inward. It occurs twice as often in boys as in girls.

Orthopedic Dentist: What does an orthopedic dentist do?

This doctor is responsible for restoring teeth. An orthodontist is often equated with an orthodontist because they have a similar name and similar goals. There is a big difference between the two: an orthodontist corrects crooked teeth and overbite with braces, while an orthopedist restores the teeth, more specifically the outer and inner parts of the teeth. The orthodontist restores the teeth, more precisely the outer and inner parts of the teeth, with dentures.. For this reason he is sometimes referred to as a prosthetist.

The podiatrist or prosthodontist will help with all of the above problems, for which it is advisable to consult an orthopedic dentist.

What problems can be eliminated with the help of a prosthodontist?

• Constant psychological discomfort. The absence of one or more teeth affects facial aesthetics and even facial symmetry, causing discomfort and insecurity. Damaged teeth such as chips, crooked teeth, gaps, etc. can cause the same feelings. This is particularly true for the 'smile area'. This is where the help of a dentist is very helpful.
• Another inconvenience that occurs when teeth are damaged is no less important - a significant impairment of the chewing function. It must be restored quickly, as it stimulates the natural processes of the entire stomatognathic system and restores its normal function: muscle tone, nutrition and circulation of the cells of bone tissue. Proper chewing function is not only beneficial for health and metabolic processes in the body, but also helps fight periodontal diseases.
• Imminent tooth loss due to progressive tooth decay. A tooth may still have healthy roots, but its external bone tissue has already broken down to the point where the filling is no longer effective. In order to stop the destructive process and save the tooth or not lose it completely, it is necessary to visit an orthopedic dentist and treat it.
• An orthopedic dentist also treats complete dentures, which allow people who are missing all of their teeth to live a normal life.

types of dentures

The choice of type of prosthetic restoration depends on many factors. The condition, number and position of the teeth, the individual characteristics of the patient, the price range and other factors play a role. The difference between what the dentist or orthopedist does in each individual case lies in the method used and the choice of dentures.

Microdentures

Suitable for restoring a deformed or damaged tooth. The following prostheses are used:

• Veneers. These can be used by the dentist if the front teeth have minor defects: chips, cracks, curvature or discoloration. Veneers are thin porcelain plates up to 0.7 mm wide that fully reflect the shape of the tooth, are installed in a single session and can last up to 10 years.
• Lumineers. These are used when veneers are contraindicated for the patient for some reason. The difference is that Lumineers are a little different. The difference is that Lumineers are thinner (0.3mm), harder to get used to, cover cavities less well, and are more prone to breakage.
• Inlays. They are very similar to fillings, but have some differences: they last longer, are made of durable ceramic, can replicate the shape of the tooth, and are used when a filling is ineffective.

Removable dentures

Removable dentures are inexpensive, easy to insert, and easy to care for. These prostheses come in different varieties: bar, partial denture, lollipop, bow tie and so on. Removable dentures are most commonly used:

• Edentulism – when teeth are missing in one or both jaws;
• in older people – other types of prostheses are more expensive and may not be well tolerated by older people;
• In children – when early loss of baby teeth can lead to crooked teeth.

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