Whether you live an active life or a more sedentary lifestyle, you can experience pain and have trouble completing your day-to-day activities due to extreme discomfort and limited mobility. An orthopedic doctor can help determine if the cause of this pain is something serious and surgery may be needed or if your joints and body parts simply need time to heal. Here are three signs that you should visit an orthopedic doctor to discuss your condition.
1. You Have Experienced Pain for a Long Time
Following an injury or another incident, the pain around your joints will eventually decrease and go away. By giving yourself a few days to heal, you should experience some relief. However, this isn’t always the case. If the pain doesn’t subside and is still intense, particularly after taking medication, you may need medical attention. The pain could be a sign of a serious issue and you need to determine what it is and how to take care of it.
2. You Can’t Perform the Activities You Once Loved
If you love a run or walk on Saturday mornings but it is becoming almost too painful to bear, you should consider visiting an orthopedic doctor. Many basic day-to-day activities should not be limited due to excessive pain and discomfort. However, if you are reaching old age, you will experience some pain and discomfort simply due to your life experience.
3. You Recently Had a Serious Injury
There are many ways you can injure various joints in your body. High-impact sports can be extremely damaging to a knee and even a fall or a stumble can hurt a hip. If you have recently had an injury and can’t find relief or have noticed a significant difference in your mobility or how you perform your day-to-day activities, you should visit a doctor to determine what is wrong and if treatment is needed. If you don’t take care of a serious injury right away and the joint is injured again, it could result in permanent damage and possibly require a replacement.
If you have experienced any of the above conditions, it is important that you seek medical attention as soon as possible. An orthopedic surgeon can help you determine the best course of treatment for your condition. If surgery is needed, an orthopedic surgeon can help you determine the best option for you and provide information on each type, such as Mako Robotic Surgery. Remember, that if you are unsure about visiting an orthopedic doctor, it is always better to be safe than sorry, and an appointment can provide a little peace of mind that you need.
If you would like to request a consultation with one of the orthopedic specialists at the Orthopedic & Sports Institute (OSI), please call (920) 560-1000 or request an appointment online. Additionally, OSI now offers a Walk-In Clinic at its Appleton location for non-life threatening situations that require immediate attention.
The Orthopedic & Sports Institute has convenient locations to serve you. In addition to the flagship facility in Appleton, you will find outreach clinics in New London, Ripon, Shawano, Waupaca, and the newest location serving the Green Bay area, inside the NOVO Health Clinic in De Pere.
OSI is a proud member of NOVO Health.