The specialist in orthopedics treats people who complain of difficulties or pain in the musculoskeletal system. Above all, signs of wear and tear that affect joints and muscles with age, but also premature diseases of the musculoskeletal system are among the core competencies of the medical doctor.
What is orthopedics?
A specialist in orthopedics treats people who complain of difficulties or pain in the musculoskeletal system. When patients complain of pain or impairment in muscles, bones or tendons, they consult an orthopedic specialist. The problems often limit the entire musculoskeletal system of the affected area of the body. In many cases, such treatments are necessary with increasing age. On the other hand, the complaints may occur from birth or after accidents. Orthopedists work either in an orthopedic group practice, in a rehabilitation center, in a sports center or in a clinic. The basic requirement is that doctors must have successfully completed medical studies at a university. Subsequently, they must attend special training courses in the fields of surgery and orthopedics. In total, the qualification program lasts about six years. After this period of further training, participants must take another examination to prove the knowledge they have acquired. Since medicine is subject to constant technical and scientific progress, orthopedists must also undergo further training on a regular basis in order to ensure optimal patient care. In order for the specialist to be able to make the correct diagnosis, it is not only the actual condition that is decisive, but rather also possible previous illnesses or similar. Accordingly, orthopedists must be able to draw on analytical thinking skills.
Treatments and therapies
Orthopedists must be able to diagnose and treat a variety of conditions. Since they are collectively ailments of the musculoskeletal system, the range of treatments is also limited to them. The main tasks include performing joint and spinal operations and working with endoprostheses. Furthermore, the medical specialists also treat diseases of the intervertebral discs. The most frequent cause in this context is the so-called herniated disc. Osteoporosis, arthrosis and other bone or joint complaints are not only recognized by the orthopedist, but also effectively treated. Furthermore, the physicians also care for patients who have to suffer from sudden consequences of accidents. These include, in particular, sports injuries. Medical expertise also includes the disease rheumatism, which causes problems in the musculoskeletal system. In most cases, the problems and diseases are accompanied by great pain, so that specialists must first take pain-relieving action. The goal of treatment is for patients to achieve restoration or improvement of functional limitation. This enables those affected to participate in everyday life again. In addition, the orthopedist also acts preventively, so that further damage to health is prevented with regard to the cause of the disease. In addition counted to the occupational profile, which is avoided negative concomitants by the medical specialist. In this respect, the specialist also acts as a consultant who provides information about a healthy as well as conscious lifestyle.
Diagnosis and examination methods
To promote the well-being of patients, orthopedists work with trained physiotherapists. The physiotherapists support the work of the specialist with special therapy methods. When the patient presents to the orthopedist, he or she must first take a history of the underlying condition. In most cases, the complaints can be localized more precisely using technical aids. For this purpose, the specialist uses modern X-ray, CT, nuclear spin and solographic equipment. These radiological procedures enable the patient’s bone structure to be displayed plastically on the basis of images. Here, the orthopedist must be able to interpret the images in order to further define the complaints and limitations. Insofar as surgical intervention can no longer be averted, orthopedic specialists can perform the operation themselves. In particular, the spine, but also shoulders, upper arms, elbows, forearms, hands, hip joints, knee joints, thighs, lower legs, ankles and nerves as well as vessels are effectively treated by orthopedists.However, not all complaints need to be treated surgically. Instead, during the training phase, medical specialists are taught to treat the individual regions of the body by means of selective treatment. This primarily involves injections, injections and other pain-relieving and anti-inflammatory medications. Since muscular problems are also part of the orthopedist’s area of responsibility, he or she can make appropriate diagnoses through neurophysiological examinations, through joint endoscopy, as well as through muscle function analysis. If the illnesses were successfully treated repressively, the specialist should guarantee preventive prevention, as it were. This particularly includes close cooperation with a qualified physiotherapist.
