Orthopedic Doctors Panama City FL provide diagnosis and treatment for bone and joint disorders. They do perform surgery, but most doctors prefer to look at surgery only if other methods don’t work for the patient. There is no need to put the patient through surgery and recovery time, not to mention the expense, if other treatments might work just as well.
Orthopedic Doctors Panama City FL have sophisticated diagnostic imaging tools to diagnose patients and monitor them as their treatment progresses. One of these is digital x-rays. They also use a C-arm fluoroscope and MSK ultrasound. MSK ultrasound, or musculoskeletal ultrasound, lets the physician see more than just the bones. It offers high resolution imaging of the muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The advantage of MSK ultrasound over an MRI is that with an MRI, the patient must remain absolutely still. However, there may be a problem that can only be detected by getting an inside view of the joint while it’s in motion, and MSK ultrasound can do that. It’s also less expensive than an MRI, and the sonography equipment, unlike an MRI unit, is portable.
Two of pain management techniques that they use are radiofrequency ablation, or RFA, and spinal injection therapy. Radiofrequency ablation involves using a needle to apply an electrical current into the skin and directly to nerve tissue to decrease the pain felt in the nerve. The doctor uses x-rays as a guide. This can be done as outpatient therapy. Some patients get pain relief for half a year, some for a full year, and some for even longer. Another option is spinal injection therapy, which uses the C-arm fluoroscope or MSK ultrasound for guidance. The patient may receive epidural injections, facet joint injections, or sacroiliac joint injections.
Orthopedic Doctors often have their patients participate in physical therapy. There are different treatment options for sports injuries, personal injuries, for those recovering from surgery, and for occupational rehabilitative therapy. Patients may also benefit from spinal decompression therapy for cervical or lumbar pain. This is traction therapy that is done on a comfortable table that can be programmed to apply subtle stretching movements that decompress the spine and relieve pain.
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