You are here: Safehealth Medicine : Orthopaedics

Orthopaedics

Orthopedic surgery or orthopaedics is the field of surgery related to acute, chronic, traumatic, and overuse injuries and other ailments of the musculoskeletal system.


Orthopaedic surgeons deal with most musculoskeletal ailments including trauma, arthritis, and congenital deformities by means of both surgical and non-surgical methods.

Orthopedic surgeons are medical doctors who have accomplished further training in orthopedic surgery after the completion of medical school. The most recent Occupational Outlook Handbook (2006-2007) published by the U.S. Department of Labor states that between 3 to 4% of all active physicians are orthopedic surgeons.

Numerous orthopedic surgeons opt for further subspeciality education in programs known as 'fellowships' after finishing their residency training.

Examples of orthopedic subspeciality training in the US:

• Hand surgery
• Total joint reconstruction (arthroplasty)
• Shoulder and elbow surgery
• Spine surgery
• Pediatric orthopedics
• Foot and ankle surgery
• Surgical sports medicine
• Musculoskeletal oncology
• Orthopaedic trauma
  

ARTHRITIS

Arthritis alludes to inflammation of the joints. The swelling can have an effect on any of the vital structures within a joint, including the joint lining (synovium), cartilage, bones, and supporting tissues. Common indications of arthritis include pain, stiffness, and inflammation of the joint. The condition may be restricted to only one joint or may affect several joints all over the body. Arthritis is a common dilemma with adults. Chronic joint symptoms were stated by up to one-third of adults in the US. A broad variety of factors can cause arthritis. The most common causes of arthritis vary for monoarthritis (arthritis of only one joint) and polyarthritis (arthritis of many joints). Oligoarthritis (arthritis of only some, usually no more than six, joints) usually shares the same group of common causes as monoarthritis.

CAUSES
Arthritis is caused by many factors including:

• Altered biochemistry
• Joint instability
• Age-related changes
• Environmental factors
• Hormonal factors
• Genetic predisposition
• Stress—Stress-induced cortisone shortage can be a cause in some types of arthritis. When stress happens, body systems discharge adrenalin and cortisone, a procedure that destabilizes the immune system. As a result, bacteria and other harmful organisms such as Candida albicans spread all through the body.
• Psychological factors
• Arthritis And Dental Amalgams--Arthritic symptoms are often linked with mercury dental amalgams. It was found that once the amalgams are eliminated, the symptoms of arthritis usually disappear.
  

DIAGNOSIS & SYMPTOMS

Diagnosis
The diagnosis of arthritis is based on the blueprint of symptoms, family history, medical history, physical examination, X-rays and laboratory tests. Blood tests, including a full blood count can help spot some types of arthritis. Joint aspiration, which is eradicating joint fluid with a needle under local anesthesia, can from time to time give useful information. Seldom, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is needed to establish the cause or degree of the arthritis.

Symptoms

• Pain and tenderness in joints that gets worse with activity and is alleviated by rest
• Aching in a joint before or during a change in weather
• Loss of joint flexibility
• Bony lumps on the middle or end joints of the fingers or the base of the thumb
• Limited joint movement
• Inflammation around the joint
• Pain in areas isolated from the site of damage but on the same nerve pathway as the affected joint)
• Crackling or breaking noise (called crepitus) when moving the affected joint

TESTS & TREATMENT

• Physical therapy and occupational therapy to sustain joint mobility and extent of motion.
• Many drugs are now employed to treat the swelling and pain linked with arthritis. Aspirin and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as ibuprofen, naproxen and dicolfenac have instant analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects and are comparatively safe.
• Second-line drugs employed for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis include hydroxychloroquine, gold, azathioprine, sulfasalazine, penicillamine and methotrexate.
• Exercise, when balanced with rest, can help diminish pain and stiffness, causing muscles to be stronger and joints to be more flexible. Consult the doctor first, though, before starting an exercise program.
• Making use of devices such as splints, canes, braces, or shoe inserts to guard joints from the straind of daily activities and ease symptoms.
• Heat and cold remedies. Heat therapy (ultrasound, paraffin wax, or moist heat) boosts blood flow and elasticity in the joint. Cold therapy (cold-water soaks, cold packs, ointments, over-the-counter sprays) dulls the nerves and eases inflammation. 
• Surgery to fix or remove a diseased or damaged joint, fuse the bones in a joint or substitute joints with artificial ones.

COMPLICATIONS

• Stiffness and pain and may also cause exhaustion.
• Dealing with the pain and the unpredictability of rheumatoid arthritis can also cause signs of depression.
• The risk of developing osteoporosis increases
• Septic arthritis can lead to more joint damage and eventually, joint replacement surgery has to be performed.
• Uveitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the uvea or the middle layer of your eye.
• Arrhythmia is an irregular heart rhythm that results from injury to the heart's electrical conduction system.
• An aortic insufficiency called aortic valve regurgitation where the heart's aortic valve doesn't close normally.
• Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis can hinder with the development of a child's bones and growth.

PREVENTIONS

• Habitual, moderate exercise gives a lot of benefits to people with arthritis and osteoporosis. Primarily, exercise decreases joint pain and stiffness, develops strong muscle around the joints, and boosts flexibility and stamina.
• Subscribing to a good diet may help to prevent other musculoskeletal illnesses.
• Early diagnosis and proper treatment is vital to put off progression of musculoskeletal conditions and the ensuing pain, disability and loss of independence.

INCIDENCE & STATISTICS

• Of persons aged 18–44, 7.9% (8.5 million) report doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
• Of persons aged 45–64, 28.8% (18.5 million) report doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
• Of persons aged 65+, 47.8% (15.7 million) report doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
• 25.9 million women and 16.8 million men report doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
• 66% of adults with doctor-diagnosed arthritis are overweight.
• 17.5% of people of normal weight report doctor-diagnosed arthritis.
• Weight loss of as little as 11 pounds lessens the risk of developing knee osteoarthritis by 50%.