There are many serious and painful orthopedic conditions. When these occur, an immediate need to see an orthopedic physician is important.
The most common of these orthopedic concerns usually occur in the aftermath of orthopedic surgery or an accident. Some of these very important conditions include:
o severe pain and swelling accompanied by fever and chills (signs of a blood clot after surgery)
o falls with visible signs of injury
o exposed fractures or joints
o infection; signs of septic joints
o chest pain, cough, fever, shortness of breath (also signs of a blood clot)
o fluids oozing from a wound
Any injury or condition that may be life-threatening, like some mentioned above, should always be directed to a hospital emergency department for expert orthopedic care and management. Emergency rooms are open 24 hours a day and offer on-call orthopedic physicians, and is the best choice for severe orthopedic injuries. It is important during these times of COVID, however, to first call the ER to make arrangements for a safe visit.
