Sports come with numerous health and physical benefits. However, the results are not always the same. Sometimes the physical exercise may end up causing muscle strains, sustained injuries, pains, and aches in different parts of the body. Upon detecting any body pain after exercise, one should see a health professional for examination and the right treatment.ย
The process of finding the right medical professional can be daunting, given the large numbers of doctors with different specializations in the market. The fact that you are injured can even worsen the research process. This article discusses the different types of doctors who can diagnose and treat sports injuries.
Orthopedicsย
Orthopedics specializes in ailments and injuries that affect the musculoskeletal system. The musculoskeletal system includes the bones, tendons, muscles, ligaments, and joints. They also have mastery in treating specific parts of the body, such as the shoulders, hips, ankle, and knees. Once they diagnose your injury, they will devise a treatment plan that could include surgery or medicine. Orthopedics may also refer you to a physical therapist to help with the quick restoration of the normal functioning of the affected part.
Physiatrists
Also called rehabilitation physicians, psychiatrists specialize in injuries and any other condition that may affect movement. They treat various pains, including nerve pain, muscle pain, neck pain, and back pain. They also treat injuries from work and sports, arthritis, herniated discs, and pinched nerves. If you have any of the above problems and are not sure of the possible cause, reach out and ask a doctor online on the probable cause and medication. Even if you land at the wrong medical professional, you will be referred to the right doctor to give you the proper diagnosis and treatment.
Rheumatologists
Sometimes athletes may confuse health conditions such as arthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, gout osteoarthritis, joint stiffness, and muscle pains, among others, with an injury. However, rheumatologists can help you out by diagnosing such conditions and subjecting you to the right treatment. Such treatments may include oral medicines, pain-blocking injections, and anti-inflammatory injections on the affected areas.
Specialists in Pain Medicine
These specialists treat different types of pain, including the pain caused by nerve damage, injury, surgery, conditions like diabetes, etc. They treat pain by administering oral or injectable drugs. Pain medicine specialists are the best first aiders after an injury. If you are an athlete, you should have contacts of at least one to call in times of emergencies.
Acupuncturists
Acupuncturists have mastery in a broad spectrum of conditions, which may cause pain. Such conditions may include neck pain, sprains, arthritis, knee pain, and other joint pains. Their standard practice involves inserting very thin needles in the affected areas, which are believed to accelerate healing.ย
You should visit a doctor when you experience an injury during sports. Medical professionals will not only treat the cause of the problem but may also diagnose other conditions that may affect your future. They may also advise on various ways on which you can prevent some musculoskeletal conditions from occurring. The above are just some of the many types of injury doctors. You can access more doctors both physically through referrals or using telemedicine solutions and online platforms.ย
