Your skeletal system is a marvel of natural construction, but like everything else in the body, it’s subject to injury or even breaking down from normal wear and tear. While it’s normal to feel aches and pains in your joints from time to time, especially if you’re of a certain age, when do you need to call an orthopedic surgeon? Here are some signs that rest, icing, and elevating aren’t going to cure that aching knee or sore arm.
It Hurts to Climb Stairs or Even Stand Up
If climbing stairs, walking uphill, or even just rising up out of your chair is always painful or difficult, it may be time to consult with an orthopedic surgeon.
Tingling & Numbness in Your Hand
Tingling and numbness in your hand, especially your thumb and first two fingers, may indicate carpal tunnel syndrome. This means that the nerve in your wrist, meant to provide sensation to four out of your five fingers, is pinched within the tunnel that runs through your wrist. You’re more at risk of carpal tunnel syndrome if you do repetitive work with your hands or have broken your wrist in the past.
Chronic Pain in the Joints
If you have pain in your joints that has lasted six or more months and just won’t go away, you may want to call an orthopedic surgeon. This pain may be caused by inflammation, but it can also mean that the cushioning cartilage between the joints has deteriorated to the point where the ends of your bones are rubbing together. This is called osteoarthritis, and though it’s a scourge of old age, it can also happen to young people. People who’ve injured their joints in the past, who are overweight, or those who work in roles that cause their joints to bend repeatedly are at higher risk for this condition.
Another problem that can cause painful joints is a bone spur. Bone spurs, or osteophytes, are bits of bone that project from the edges of a bone. They are very often found in joints. Sometimes they aren’t painful, but if they hurt and restrict your movement, you should consult with an orthopedic surgeon. The surgeon might need to perform bone spur knee surgery or another type of operation to relieve your pain and restore your range of movement.
Injuries That Don’t Heal
If you’ve suffered an injury such as a fall and pain or swelling doesn’t diminish over time, you may have suffered a fracture. Fractures need to be evaluated and treated by an orthopedic physician. Even if you haven’t broken a bone, an area that remains bruised, weak, or shows a discolored lump may be a sign of muscle contusion. Muscle contusions happen when the muscle is damaged, but the bone it supports and the skin that protects it aren’t broken.
An especially dangerous consequence of a contused muscle is compartment syndrome. This happens when one of the “compartments” that holds a leg muscle is put under pressure because of an injury. Because of this pressure, the nerves that feed the muscle and the muscle itself can die and even lead to the loss of the limb. Compartment syndrome is a medical emergency and must be treated immediately.
Pain in the Shoulder
See an orthopedic surgeon if you have unremitting shoulder pain that gets worse at night and when you move your shoulder in a certain way. This may be a sign of shoulder tendonitis, which happens when the tendons that attach the muscles to bones are inflamed because of injury or overuse. Other problems of the shoulder that call for orthopedic intervention include fractures and injuries of the clavicle and rotator cuff.
Final Thoughts
Pain and swelling in your limbs and joints that interfere with your ability to do everyday tasks and simply won’t go away are problems you should certainly see an orthopedic surgeon about. Fortunately, the great majority of these problems are treatable. Treatments can range from special exercises to immobilizing the area and even surgery. Orthopedic surgery is often performed laparoscopically and is much safer and quicker than it was years ago, with less downtime for you. If you feel something is wrong, don’t hesitate to call an orthopedic surgeon or other medical professional.
