Find the right doctor for you


non-surgical orthopedicsProblems with muscle and joint pain are not only common among elders. Even children and adults can have some problems with their pain management at times. Whether your condition is serious or not, it is extremely important to carefully evaluate your selection of doctors before making a final decision. However, spending the time to process a well thought out decision when visiting an orthopaedic specialist will help take care of the pain and get you back to living your regular lifestyle in much less time. Here are some tips we have put together to help begin the selection process:

  • Consider the type of service and treatment you need: Invasive vs. Non-Invasive treatment – While it may not be true with all pain and other various injuries, often times you can be treated without ever having surgery (non-invasive treatment) leading to a speedier recovery time If you or your current doctor think this may be an option, you will want to look into practices that specialize in the non-invasive treatment of pain. The same goes for invasive (surgical) treatment. If surgery is most likely going to be the only resolution for your injury or pain condition, finding a qualified orthopaedic surgeon will be your best option.
  • Pinpoint your pain and find a doctor that specializes specifically in that type of pain: There are several different orthopaedic pain points. Some of the more common pain specialties include: back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, knee pain, sports injuries, work injuries and automobile injuries.
  • Search locally: Orthopaedic injuries often require more than one treatment session. Most likely, you do not want to drive half way across town several times for treatment. Find an orthopaedist that is local. Many offices have several locations for your convenience.
  • Search for referrals and positive recommendations: When searching for the right doctor, it is also important to check out reviews, social presence, patient engagement and interaction, etc. A doctor can tell you how great they are until they are blue in the face. However, the true testament to that doctor’s greatness and ability to meet and exceed your standards relies heavily on patient testimonials. Many social media websites and other review sites such as Kudzu, Google+, Facebook and Yelp can give you a good starting point when searching for reviews.
  • Insurance evaluation: Before digging further into your search process, it is important to make sure that the doctors you are looking at accept your insurance. Orthopaedic treatment can get expensive without insurance. Many providers list their accepted insurance online. if you cannot find it, just give the office a call. The front office staff should be able to answer that question for you.

All in all, finding the best and most trusted doctor can be a long process. However, while getting the treatment right the first time is the ultimate goal, it is also important that as the patient, you feel comfortable with your decision. Whether it is an orthopaedic specialist or any doctor for that matter, you are trusting that person with treating conditions on your body. You know your body, trust your instincts.

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *