Orthopedic Surgeons in Atlanta: What They Do and How to Choose One
An orthopedic surgeon is a physician who specializes in the musculoskeletal system, the bones, joints, muscles, ligaments and tendons that let you move. Despite the name, orthopedic surgeons treat far more than surgical cases. Much of what they do is nonsurgical, and surgery is often considered after other treatments have been tried. If you are dealing with pain, an injury or a joint that is not working the way it should, an orthopedic surgeon is the specialist trained to find the cause, explain your options and guide you to the right treatment.
Finding the right specialist matters, especially close to home. The board-certified and fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeons at Resurgens Orthopaedics, one of the largest orthopedic practices in the country, care for patients at locations around Georgia.
What Does an Orthopedic Surgeon Do?
Orthopedic surgeons diagnose, treat and help prevent problems affecting the musculoskeletal system, from a recent injury to a long-standing condition like arthritis. They evaluate the source of pain, often with the help of imaging, and build a treatment plan suited to the patient. While they are trained to perform surgery, orthopedic surgeons explore nonsurgical options first, such as medication or rehabilitation, and many patients are treated successfully without an operation. Their goal is to relieve pain and restore movement using the most effective treatment that carries the least risk.
Surgical and Nonsurgical Orthopedic Care
Orthopedic care covers a wide spectrum, and the right path depends on the condition and how it responds to treatment:
- Nonsurgical Treatment: Physical therapy, medication, bracing, injections and activity changes, often the first approach
- Surgical Treatment: Surgery when nonsurgical care has not worked or an injury clearly needs it, increasingly performed through minimally invasive techniques such as arthroscopy
Because the right care is not always surgery, seeing an orthopedic specialist early gives you the fullest range of options and often a simpler path to recovery.
Conditions and Specialties an Orthopedic Surgeon Treats
Orthopedics covers the entire musculoskeletal system, and many surgeons focus on a particular area of the body through additional fellowship training. Common orthopedic subspecialties include:
- Spine and Neck: Back pain, herniated discs and other spine conditions
- Joint Replacement: Hip and knee replacement for advanced arthritis
- Sports Medicine: Injuries like ACL tears, meniscus tears and rotator cuff tears
- Hand and Wrist: Carpal tunnel syndrome, fractures and other hand and wrist conditions
- Foot and Ankle: Sprains, fractures and tendon injuries
- Shoulder and Elbow: Rotator cuff problems and tennis elbow
Having this range of specialists in one practice means you can be matched with a surgeon who focuses on your specific problem and referred easily if your care needs more than one area of expertise.
When Should You See an Orthopedic Surgeon?
It is worth seeing an orthopedic specialist if you have joint or muscle pain that does not improve with rest, an injury that limits your movement, swelling or instability in a joint or ongoing pain that interferes with daily activities. Getting evaluated sooner rather than later often means a clearer diagnosis and simpler treatment.
What to Expect at Resurgens
At Resurgens, a visit begins with understanding your symptoms, your history and your goals. Your physician examines the area and, when needed, uses on-site imaging such as X-ray, MRI or CT to pinpoint the problem. From there, you work together on a personalized plan, which may range from preventive care, physical therapy and injections to a minimally invasive procedure or surgery when it is the best option. Because diagnosis, imaging, rehabilitation and surgery are all available within one practice, your care stays coordinated from your first visit through your recovery.
Please Note: Some injuries need emergency care rather than a clinic visit. Go to the nearest emergency room for an injury with a bone breaking through the skin, a limb that looks deformed or heavy bleeding.
Why Choose Resurgens Orthopaedics in Atlanta
Resurgens brings together board-certified and fellowship-trained physicians across a wide range of orthopedic specialties, with locations around Georgia, so care is close to home. Many locations offer nonsurgical and surgical care along with on-site imaging and rehabilitation, and Resurgens was named an Atlanta Journal-Constitution Top Workplace for the 10th consecutive year in 2020. The result is comprehensive, coordinated musculoskeletal care from a team that treats the whole body.
Schedule an Appointment with an Orthopedic Surgeon
If pain or an injury is affecting your daily life, an orthopedic specialist can help you find the cause and the right path forward. Book an appointment online today with Resurgens Orthopaedics or call us at (404) 847-9999.
Awards
