Fearing to see an orthopedic surgeon is a normal thing. It is everybody’s guess that the last things you want to hear is that you need a surgery. Even though you might fear because you think that a sports medicine surgeon will tell you to stay away from your exercise or sport, it is unfortunate that some injuries must be checked out.
If your doctor tells you that you need to see an orthopedic and spine specialist, you should know how to make the most out of the time that both you and your orthopedic doctor will have to discuss your injury and, or pain. We thought it wise to highlight some of the top tips that will help improve your upcoming visit.
Find an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in the kind of you type of problem
Yes, general orthopedic surgeons do exist. However, the field of orthopedic surgery is also extremely subspecialized. Even general orthopedic surgeons have also added fellowship training in a subspecialty especially within orthopedic surgery. For this reason, you can now find orthopedic surgeons who specialize in various fields such as spinal surgery, joint replacement and hand surgery and so on. In short, orthopedic doctors tend to focus on patients with problems within their subspecialty.
Finding an orthopedic surgeon who specializes particularly in the type of problem you have will help you a great deal because apart from possessing special skill, the surgeon definitely has years of experience in the same field, which makes it easier for him or her to handle your situation successfully.
Fill in all medical questionnaires prior to your visit
Orthopedic surgeons tend to have a lot of medical information that they must actually enter into your medical record before they take any action. In more often than not, filling such medical information can take a great deal of time.
So, the best thing to do if you are visiting for the first time is to fill in all medical questionnaires and any other forms ahead of time. In that way, you will not only have the opportunity to look up for any information that you might not be able to remember immediately when the doctor ask you, but it will also help you and your doctor spend the shortest time, which helps you move from the waiting room to the exam room much quicker.
Bring with you a copy of any x-rays performed earlier
Apart from you medical history and physical exam, you should also bring a copy of any x-rays performed earlier because they are fundamental parts of any musculoskeletal exam for spinal surgery woodbridge va and any other