Who Should You See for Orthopedic Pain?
When you are experiencing pain in a muscle, tendon, ligament or joint, start by seeing a pain management specialist. Since most musculoskeletal injuries are non-surgical, starting with a doctor who specializes in diagnosing and treating orthopedic pain makes sense. Pain management doctors treat anything other than a fracture and are also experts in diagnosing nerve pain. Also known as, physical medicine and rehabilitation doctors or interventional pain management doctors, they are specialists in understanding where pain is coming from and the best way to treat that pain. They offer minimally -invasive and conservative options for pain relief in most areas of the body, including:
- Back & Neck
- Shoulders
- Knees
- Hips
- Elbows
- Foot & Ankle
- Hand
Treatment for Orthopedic Pain is Only as Good as the Diagnosis
The first thing a pain management doctor will do is to get a better understanding of your pain. Did the pain result from a single, acute injury or is it a combination of circumstances that have led to acute or chronic pain over time. A thorough clinical exam, history and imaging, including advanced and live ultrasound imaging, come together to paint the complete picture of where the pain is coming from. It is important that you get the right diagnosis because effective treatment depends on an accurate diagnosis. The wrong diagnosis can lead to treatments that don’t address the actual cause of the pain.
Often times, pain is multi-factorial, meaning several things are coming together to cause the pain. When that is the case, pain management specialists are trained to address the root of the pain by addressing things sequentially when they are treating multiple issues.
When pain goes beyond minimally-invasive treatments or the diagnosis is one that needs to be surgically repaired, the team of pain management doctors works closely with the orthopedic surgeons at Panorama to diagnose the injury and then get the patient to the right kind of surgeon to address the problem.
Knowing where to go when you are injured or in pain, helps you to get care efficiently. and in the most cost-effective manner. Dr. Michael Lersten is a physical Madeline and Rehabilitation specialist at Panorama’s Westminster offices.