Improving My Foot Health

Posted on: 21 June 2023

An orthopedist is a medical specialist who diagnoses and treats conditions related to the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system is made up of your bones, muscles, joints, tendons, and ligaments. One major focus as it relates to the specialty of orthopedists is treating chronic pain. Chronic pain is pain that lasts for months or longer. Some examples of chronic pain causes can include injuries, such as bone breaks or torn ligaments. Also, the pain can be caused by an underlying condition, such as scoliosis, arthritis, or fibromyalgia, to name a few. You can learn much more about chronic pain and the role of an orthopedist when you read this article. 

Chronic pain evaluations

If you suffer from chronic pain, you may or may not know the root cause. Regardless of whether you know the cause, it's still important for you to have an evaluation by a doctor, such as an orthopedist. They can determine any and all of the causes of your pain, determine the extent of your pain, help with treatments that can reduce or possibly even alleviate all of your discomfort, and more. During the evaluation, you'll be given a physical exam so the orthopedist can check on the affected areas, assess your range of motion, and locate any other areas being affected. They may also order tests such as X-rays, MRIs, CTs, labs, and other tests that can identify what's going on inside your body. 

Non-surgical treatment options

Depending on the issues affecting you and any other related problems, the orthopedist will decide on the best course of treatment for you to follow. Some of the non-surgical treatment options may include medications, wearing a brace, getting injections, going to physical therapy, seeing a chiropractor, and more. 

Goals of treatments

When you're dealing with chronic pain, one of the main goals of treatment is to get relief from that pain. However, there may be other things you'll want the treatments to help with as well. Some examples of these include reducing inflammation, improving your range of motion, improving flexibility, improving mobility, improving strength, and more. 

There are many types of medicines that can help with chronic pain in a number of ways. For one thing, if a medical condition is causing your chronic pain, then taking medication to help with the underlying condition can also help reduce the pain. There are also anti-inflammatories, steroids, pain medications, muscle relaxants, and others that can help. 

Surgical intervention options

While the best course of action is usually to go for the least invasive treatment that can offer the best results, sometimes non-surgical options aren't enough. Some examples of surgical procedures that help with some problems include hip or knee replacement surgery, ligament repairs, herniated disc surgery, and many others. If you've been struggling with chronic pain management, you should see a doctor soon, so you can begin getting help.