Connect with us

Health

The Importance of Treatment for Orthopedic Injuries

Published

on

Orthopedic injuries refer to the damage to your joints either through injury, or occurrence of trauma, as well as conditions such as arthritis. It is imperative that when you have an injury to your joints or when you are experiencing extreme discomfort, you seek out a facility that specializes in orthopedics in Oklahoma City. Delayed treatment with these types of injuries can result in further debilitating damage to the area, causing the need for more invasive treatment such as surgery.

The Sooner the Better

As with most types of injuries or illnesses, the sooner you seek treatment the better your odds are at making a full recovery. You cannot afford to take risks when it comes to your joints as they are an integral part of your musculoskeletal system and not something you can manage to do without on a daily basis.

What Are Some Types of Orthopedic Injuries?

The most common orthopedic injuries are sprains and strains, fractures, osteochondral injuries, compressive injuries, tendonitis, or degenerative joint diseases (DJD). If treated promptly, most of these conditions can be resolved without surgical intervention. The first method of treatment is typically physical therapy. Doctors do not want to jump straight to surgery, especially if they feel your injury is in the primary stage of progression; so you can be sure that more conservative, nonsurgical methods of treatment will be utilized first. In addition to physical therapy, your doctor may use medications that would be applied directly (through injection) or indirectly (transdermal) to the affected joint. Only after all other options have been exhausted without considerable improvement, your physician will consider surgery to be an option.

Signs of a Joint Injury

Looking out for the signs and symptoms of a joint injury will help you recognize and be pro-active about treating these injuries as soon as possible. Some signs and symptoms include:

–          Joint pain

–          Swelling

–          Tenderness in the specific joint area

–          Limited range of motion (cannot move that joint as you used to be able to)

–          Weakness or lack of support when compared with opposite joint (i.e. left knee is weaker than right)

–          Numbness or tingling in the joint and surrounding area

These are all signs that you may have sustained an injury to your joint and should seek out medical treatment as soon as possible to avoid worsening your condition. Do not write these symptoms off as being routine soreness from activity; if you are experiencing any of these symptoms you should speak with a doctor.

If you are suffering from a joint injury or arthritis, visiting an orthopedic specialist in Oklahoma City is your best option to ensure that you make a full recovery.