There are many medical fields that deal with muscle and bones including physical therapists, chiropractors, and orthopedics, and while each has its place in the medical community, it is important to know when and why to seek treatment from an orthopedic surgeon.

Orthopedics included the diagnosis and treatment of the muscular-skeletal system. Its purpose is to alleviate pain, restore function, and correct deformity through the uses of treatments that may include surgery or medical adjustment such as bone setting, muscle training, or corrective devices. The muscular-skeletal system includes the bones, joints, tendons, nerves, muscles, and ligaments. The term originated from the words ortho-meaning straight and paideion meaning children.

Historically the focus of the science was children with muscular or cone issues. Children with cerebral palsy or symptoms such as turned feet or ankles, range of motion issues, or muscle weaknesses are still a large part of a surgeon's clientele today, but the area of medicine has, since its beginnings, taken on all ages and stages of patients. Those with auto immune disease such as fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, or lupus benefit from intervention, and the aging senior population can be helped as well. As adults age, falls, balance, and frailty make the need of medical intervention by and orthopedic surgeon much sought after.

Sometimes pains in the joints, muscles and bones are just aches. Sometimes they are pains that hinder a person抯 abilities. Other times the pains area accompanied by dysfunctions of other body parts like the bowel or the bladder. While a chiropractor works well with correcting pains and providing therapy, if a patient is experiencing wither of the two latter examples, it is an orthopedic that is needed for the situation. Back pain that is accompanied by numbness or tingling is also a medical rather than therapeutic case.

To be safe, do not self refer your back, muscle, or joint pains, and if you cannot get a primary care manager to assess the situation and refer you to the correct specialist, it is safer to overestimate the debilitation and see an orthopedic. Because others who deal in joint and muscle pains are not in the business of diagnosing, it is safer to get a diagnosis from the ortho-surgeon stepping down to chiropractic or therapeutic care if that is what he recommends for your treatment.

Becoming an orthopedics surgeon is a long process taking thirteen or more years. Four years of college, four years of medical school, and four years of residency are typical for any doctor, but these surgeons usually add a one or two year fellowship in their specialty on the end of the regular twelve year journey.