Orthopedic surgery is an important part of medicine and having a clear idea of what your orthopedic surgery West Nyack NY will help you when navigating your own medical needs. Whether your primary care physician has recommended that you see an orthopedic surgeon or you have a sports related injury, you’re going to need to know the basics of who they are and what they do.
Who Are Orthopedic Surgeons?
Orthopedic surgeons are doctors that specialize in treating musculoskeletal problems. Musculoskeletal just refers to all the points in your body where your muscles connect, and interact with, your bones. That’s a lot of places! Your orthopedic surgery West Nyack NY can be treated anything from a badly twisted ankle to severe neck pain. With such a wide variety of ailments to treat, how are Orthopedic Surgeons trained?
Orthopedic Surgeon Training
Orthopedic surgeons are trained just like any other specialized doctor. Before they can offer orthopedic surgery West Nyack NY they have to get a bachelors degree and then go on to complete graduate school. After they have their Medical Doctorate, orthopedic surgeons then complete anywhere from 10 to 15 years of on the job training before they can become certified as an orthopedic surgeon. Those extra years are for surgeons who want to get an advanced specialization beyond the normal range.
What Do Orthopedic Surgeons Treat?
As we mentioned earlier, orthopedic surgeons treat a wide range of ailments. They can look at and treat sports related injuries or injuries from a bad fall. They also treat certain birth defects like club foot, bow legs, or hip dysplasia. They also treat age related problems like osteoporosis. There are almost countless reasons why a patient would need to see an orthopedic surgery West Nyack NY.
What Kinds of Treatments Do They Offer?
Orthopedic surgeons are, as their titles suggests, surgeons. They specialize in treatments that require an operation to fix whatever is wrong with their patient. Unlike less invasive doctors working with similar problems, such as physical therapists, orthopedic surgeons are available for more intense problems. The most common procedure they offer is joint replacement. As we age, our joints wear down and can become very painful. Orthopedic surgeons specialize in surgically replacing worn down joints with artificial ones. This is both due to age and wear on the part of the patient. Some athletes require artificial joints despite being relatively young.
Orthopedic surgeons are a vital part of today’s medical community. Their vast expertise and the wide range of conditions and people they treat make them essential medical personnel.