Non-Surgical

Orthopedic injuries often involve joints like the shoulder, elbow, hand, and wrist. They can be caused by wear and tear diseases like arthritis, accidents, or sports injuries. These injuries can lead to pain and difficulty moving, affecting daily life.

Treatment for orthopedic injuries can be surgical or non-surgical. Non-surgical options include things like physical therapy, medications, and various treatments to help manage pain and improve function. Treatment options are aimed at relieving symptoms and making the quality of life better for patients. Sometimes, these treatments are used alone, and other times, they're part of a plan to help patients recover after surgery.

Pharmacological interventions

Pharmacological interventions include pain management using medicinal preparations such as pain relieving capsules or injections. Consulting with your physician can give clarity on which injections could be beneficial for your specific injury.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, NSAIDs, are found to be effective in reducing pain and inflammation of the hip and the knee. Always use caution while using NSAIDs as they can be toxic to the liver at high dosages. Therefore, patients with liver diseases must exercise extreme care while using them. The risk of side effects increases with the use of certain medications, such as diuretics, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin 2 receptor blockers, anticoagulants or oral corticosteroids.

Weak and strong opioids

Opioids are prescribed in several instances, including when the use of NSAIDs does not offer symptomatic pain relief, if other treatments have intolerable side effects, in patients with contraindications, or if the surgery has been delayed. Though opioids offer better pain relief, they are known to cause side effects such as dry mouth, nausea, vomiting, dizziness and constipation. Additionally, there is a risk of addiction and overdose, which may lead to respiratory depression. When patients are prescribed opioids, the dose is reduced slowly to avoid withdrawal effects.

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and biological agents

Disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) aim at halting the progression of disease and offer symptomatic relief. Biological agents are the antibodies that fight against disease-causing agents and are manufactured using genetic engineering technology. These agents are recommended in individuals with severe disease conditions.

Other treatments

Your physician may recommend the use of braces and orthoses, and may prescribe chondroitin sulphate, electromagnetic therapy, vitamin supplements, herbal or other dietary therapies. Though there is little scientific evidence for various non-operative techniques in offering symptomatic pain relief, they have been found to be effective in certain cases and are considered to cause minimal side effects. Discuss with your physician about other therapeutic options before initiating any treatment plan.

Hand To Shoulder Associates for Non-Surgical Injury Treatment

Our physicians are not just highly skilled; they are board-certified and fellowship-trained in upper extremity and microvascular surgery, as well as non-surgical treatment. This level of certification and training ensures that you receive care from experts who have had a rigorous education and have achieved the highest standards of excellence in their field. You can trust their expertise to address various conditions affecting the hand, wrist, elbow, and shoulder. Contact Hand To Shoulder Associates to schedule your consultation today!