How much does an orthopedist cost? Orthopedics is one of the basic fields of medicine today. The subject of her interest is the diagnosis and surgical and conservative treatment of diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system. However, it is not limited only to ailments resulting from the improper functioning of bone tissue, but also includes the treatment of disorders in the area of ligaments, joints, muscles, tendons and nerves.
Originally, orthopedists were called doctors dealing with straightening children’s spines, over time this field has moved to the entire musculoskeletal system. The first orthopedic clinic in Poland was established in 1923.
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What does an orthopedic doctor do?
An orthopedist deals with the diagnosis and treatment of the musculoskeletal system. This field of medicine is closely related to traumatology, i.e. trauma surgery, which diagnoses and treats, also surgically, all kinds of injuries: bone fractures, sprains and dislocations of joints, ligaments and tendons. In particular, an orthopedist should be consulted whenever a general practitioner makes a preliminary diagnosis of:
- diseases of the spine: the occurrence of degenerative changes in the spine, discopathy, disc herniation, stenosis of the spinal canal
- posture defects: the most common are scoliosis, kyphosis and lordosis
- flat feet, clubfoot, valgus toe
- overload changes causing prepatellar bursitis, tennis elbow, heel spur, carpal tunnel syndrome
- hip diseases: infantile and avascular necrosis of the femur, osteoarthritis of the hip
- inflammatory diseases of the bones and joints
- injuries: any fractures, sprains, sprains, patellar instability, damage to the meniscus
- musculoskeletal cancers
- inflammation and infection of bones and joints
- neuromuscular diseases
- congenital defects, such as: torticollis or congenital hip dysplasia
- peripheral nerve damage
- metabolic, endocrine and genetic diseases
- pathological and fatigue fractures
- Ollier’s disease, or chondromatosis
- Dupuytren’s disease
- Kienbock’s disease
What tests does an orthopedist order?
Orthopedic surgeons are usually seen when there is discomfort in the musculoskeletal system. This is the first sign that something is wrong in the body. An orthopedist is also necessary in emergency cases of injury, to diagnose a sprain, fracture or sprain. The last of the symptoms usually give unequivocal results, while it is definitely more difficult to diagnose and treat degenerative diseases, which often give ambiguous symptoms.
After reaching the orthopedist, the doctor always starts with a detailed interview with the patient. This is essential, especially in the case of degenerative diseases that do not always have obvious symptoms. In order to fully illustrate the injury or disease, the orthopedist has a large group of tests that he can order the patient to perform. Most often it is an X-ray examination showing sections of the cervical, thoracic or lumbar spine to assess the condition of the spine.
X-ray is a diagnostic test for any fractures, sprains or other mechanical injuries of hard tissues. To verify the condition of hard and soft tissues, ultrasonography, computed tomography and finally computed resonance imaging are used. In special cases, the orthopedist may refer the patient for arthrography, which allows for a detailed analysis of the structure of the joint.
Another test that has recently been used independently of orthopedic advice is densitometry, a test that measures the mineral density of bone tissue.
Orthopedics occupies a special place in the prevention of diseases and injuries in children and infants. For the first time, parents go with a newborn to an orthopedist a few weeks after birth to rule out hip dysplasia. The doctor uses ultrasound to diagnose the musculoskeletal system in infants. In the later period, children should be systematically examined by an orthopedist in order to exclude posture defects or their treatment and prevention.
The cost of visiting an orthopedic surgeon
To see an orthopedist, you need a referral from your primary care physician. Then the medical consultation will take place within the National Health Fund. But very often the waiting time is so long and the pain so severe that only a private visit to the orthopedist remains. The cost of such visits depends on the proportion of medical services in a given province and fluctuates between PLN 200 and PLN 170 to PLN 230. In addition, there is the cost of tests ordered by the doctor.
An ultrasound examination of one joint costs about PLN 200; two different joints cost PLN 350, Doppler ultrasound is PLN 200. More serious orthopedic procedures cost from a few to a dozen or even tens of thousands of zlotys.
Joint arthroplasty , including hip , knee or shoulder arthroplasty are the most expensive procedures and cost about PLN 22,000, hallux correction is a cost. about PLN 8,000, and flat-valgus foot about PLN 9,000. Arthroscopy price also depends on the place of the procedure, e.g. meniscus arthroscopy and costs about PLN 6,000.
Most treatments performed in orthopedic offices are also reimbursed. Sometimes more invasive treatments are reimbursed, while those using modern devices that make even a serious procedure non-invasive can be reimbursed – not. It is always worth carefully checking the possibilities and potential of a given procedure.
