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An orthopedist is a doctor who deals with the treatment of bone injuries and fractures as well as various ailments related to the health of our spine and the entire motor system. The orthopedist’s task is therefore to diagnose and treat not only the skeletal system, but also the muscles, joints and ligaments that allow movement. When is it worth going to an orthopedist?
It is worth noting that the orthopedist deals not only with bone and joint injuries, but also various posture defects, degenerative changes, nerve damage, cancer, and even metabolic or genetically determined diseases. Orthopedics is inextricably linked with traumatology, i.e. trauma surgery.
The orthopedist deals not only with the diagnosis and treatment of diseases of the musculoskeletal system, but also with their prevention. His work covers the entire skeletal system (except the skull), but also the muscles, ligaments and joints, and even related blood vessels and nerves.
Orthopedics is a specialization that requires this doctor to have a very broad knowledge of human anatomy and the physiology of movement. Initially, orthopedists dealt mainly with the treatment of posture defects in children. However, the development of other fields of medicine means that nowadays the orthopedist also treats adults. Usually, an orthopedist is also a traumatologist, thanks to which he can diagnose and treat, also surgically, fractures, sprains and sprains.
- When should I be referred to an orthopedic traumatologist?
The orthopedist admits patients who have mostly suffered some kind of motor system injuries. The most common are limb fractures, joint dislocations or ankle sprains. Orthopedic patients also often suffer from pain and inflammation in the spine, joints, tendons and muscles. It is worth making an appointment with an orthopedist if we experience problems with mobility in the joints and if there are swelling and joint pain. Our anxiety should also arise from various cracks in the joints during movement.
In the case of a pediatric orthopedist, an appointment should preferably be made immediately after the birth of the child. It should take place between the 6th and 8th week. The orthopedist will check the structure of the skeleton, muscles and joints. This will allow any birth defects to be detected early, which can often be corrected early. After 8 months, you should go for a follow-up visit.
The scope of orthopedics is very wide, therefore the list of diseases diagnosed and treated by an orthopedist is extremely long and extensive. Among the diseases treated by the orthopedic surgeon, we will certainly find:
- fractures, sprains, bruises and dislocations, e.g. of limbs,
- inflammatory diseases of bones and joints,
- birth defects,
- various diseases of the spine,
- posture defects,
- changes related to joint overload, such as carpal tunnel syndrome,
- Scheuermann’s disease,
- Dupuytren’s contracture,
- choroba Olliera,
- bone tumors.
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During the first visit, the orthopedist must take a detailed interview from us. You should expect questions about past diseases and injuries. Thanks to this, it is possible to make an initial diagnosis and order further tests. It is worth taking X-ray pictures for the first visit to the orthopedist.
The orthopedist may order various tests. The most important thing is to check the mobility of the joints, their stability and position. In addition, the orthopedist must check the spine and the entire skeletal system. For this purpose, X-ray pictures, ultrasound examination, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging are performed. The orthopedist may also order arthroscopy and arthrography.
- When should I perform MRI with contrast?
Treatment depends on the diagnosis made. The methods of orthopedic treatment include, for example, limb immobilization, surgery, pharmacological treatment of pain, but also rehabilitation and physiotherapy.
If we use the services of an orthopedist under the National Health Fund, we must first get a referral from a family doctor to an orthopedic clinic. Then the orthopedic consultation will be free, but you will have to wait for the date. If you care about time, you can arrange a private visit for a fee and without a referral.
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The specialization of a pediatric orthopedist covers diagnostics and treatment of locomotor system diseases and congenital defects in infants and children up to 18 years of age. If abnormalities are detected, the most important thing is to implement appropriate treatment and rehabilitation as soon as possible, because their absence can lead to serious consequences in adulthood, including mobility problems.
- Flat feet and a crooked spine. 90% of Polish students have postural defects
You should visit a pediatric orthopedist in the case of:
- developmental defects in infants within the range of motion,
- flat feet,
- base defects,
- mechanical injuries (dislocations, fractures, sprains),
- movement apparatus asymmetry,
- developmental delays in terms of movement.
During the visit, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon may perform tests to check how the motor organs work. In the case of infants, hip observation is very important as it is an infant orthopedist who can detect hip dysplasia.
Due to the long waiting period for an orthopedic visit at the National Health Fund, which may be six months, some people decide to use paid services. This mainly concerns doctors who are specialists in their fields (e.g. in atroscopy). The price of a private visit to an orthopedist ranges from PLN 100 to PLN 300.