What is the difference between a Rheumatologist and an Orthopedist?

Orthopedic Surgery

Enter the world of orthopedics, a surgical discipline dedicated to treating musculoskeletal system disorders.

The incredible field of orthopedic surgery encompasses a wide range of pathologies. It addresses disorders affecting the body's support and movement structures, such as the spine and limbs, as well as the treatment of congenital locomotor disorders. However, its greatest specialty is undoubtedly traumatology, a branch dedicated to the care of patients injured in falls or accidents of varying severity. All this takes place in the field of orthopedic and trauma surgery, where patients can receive the best possible care.

Today, technological advances have significantly improved the care of orthopedic surgery patients. Techniques such as joint prostheses and arthroscopy make operations more efficient. However, for any professional, the first step remains consultation with a specialist.

An individual consultation and a complete medical examination, possibly supplemented by diagnostic tests such as blood tests, X-rays or other tests, are necessary to determine the appropriate treatment.

For the majority of orthopedic conditions and injuries, several treatment options exist.

To ensure the best patient care, some orthopedic surgeons specialize in specific areas such as feet, hands, shoulders, spine, hips, knees. However, there are also specializations in other areas such as pediatrics, traumatology or sports medicine. These specializations give rise to different branches of orthopedic surgery, including pediatric orthopedic surgery, knee surgery, spine surgery, hip surgery and foot surgery, which treats common conditions such as hallux valgus, hallux rigidus and hammertoe.

Rheumatology

Rheumatology is a medical field that treats diseases affecting mainly the joints and connective tissues, as well as systemic diseases affecting multiple organs or systems. This is a wide variety of diseases, which can affect not only the joints, bones, tendons and muscles, but also other parts of the body such as the heart, skin, lungs, kidneys, intestines or eyes.

Most of these diseases have an inflammatory origin, including arthritis (such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, polymyalgia rheumatica, spondyloarthritis, gout...), connectivities (such as systemic sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's syndrome...) and vasculitis.

The rheumatologist also treats other diseases related to the deterioration of joints, such as osteoarthritis and metabolic bone disorders, such as osteoporosis and Paget's disease.

Rhumatologue , Orthopediste

Paralysis of the upper and lower limbs

Paralysis corresponds to a decrease or alteration of muscle strength controlled by the will. It can be caused by pathologies leading to alterations of nerve or muscle tissue, but also by diseases related to metabolic disorders, which disrupt the function of nerves or muscles.

Paralysis can manifest in different forms: localized or general, partial or total, temporary or permanent. It can affect any part of the body, at any time of life. If you are affected, you will probably not feel any pain in the affected areas.

The way to approach and consider treatment will be influenced by the source of the paralysis and the apparent signs. With the advancement of technology and therapeutic options, it is possible to maintain an individual's autonomy and well-being.

Generalized paralysis is a group of conditions that affect several parts of the body. Types include:

  • monoplegia, which affects only one arm or leg;
  • hemiplegia, which affects one arm and one leg on the same side of the body;
  • paraplegia, affecting both legs;
  • Quadriplegia, also called tetraplegia, affects both arms and legs;

If you have partial paralysis, you retain some control over the muscles in your affected limbs. However, in case of total paralysis, you have no control over the affected muscles.

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Shoulder Surgery

Surgery to completely replace the shoulder joint aims to restore the well-being and use of the arthritic shoulder.

Through this approach, the articular surfaces of the arm and scapula are replaced by artificial prosthetic elements, generally non-cemented titanium.

Following shoulder surgery, it will be necessary for the patient to wear a splint for about 10 days, both during the day and at night. This will allow the tendons and structures around the joint to heal properly. Passive rehabilitation can be started immediately (without forcing external rotation) while active rehabilitation can begin from the 10th day after the operation.

Elbow and Upper Limb Surgery

To better understand surgical interventions on the elbow and upper limbs, it is essential to distinguish between medial and lateral capsular ligament lesions of the elbow, as well as lesions likely to affect the articular surfaces between the humerus, ulna and radial capitulum.

If these injuries worsen, it may be necessary to partially or totally replace the articular surfaces with elbow prostheses, a complex procedure requiring advanced surgical expertise.

Spine and Spinal Column Surgery

Due to the aging population, a growing number of individuals are facing spinal problems. These problems include low back pain and sciatica caused by a herniated disc or degenerative stenosis, which manifest as pain in the lower limbs due to pressure on the sciatic nerve. These disorders are becoming increasingly common.

The decline of the lumbar spine can seriously affect its stability, thus causing chronic inflammation and causing persistent pain.

In recent years, spine surgery has seen remarkable development.

Implant and instrument technology, as well as minimally invasive and computer-assisted surgery, have become key elements in advancing the medical field. Thanks to these advances, we can now effectively treat herniated discs, vertebral fractures, scoliosis, kyphosis, spondylolisthesis, multiple disc disease and spinal canal stenosis.

Hip and Femur Surgery

Hip surgery

For a better intervention, surgeons generally opt for the anterior minimally invasive technique when it comes to placing a hip prosthesis as a first-line treatment. This procedure does not involve detachment or injury to the tendons and muscles, thus offering a more humane solution.

The benefits of a minimally invasive approach in hip surgery are considerable:

  • Reduction in the size of the surgical incision and aesthetics of the incision;
  • Reduction of hemorrhages;
  • Excellent pain control with resumption of walking from the first day;
  • Rapid return to work with reduced hospitalization;
  • Excellent implant stability with an extremely low risk of prosthesis dislocation;

Femoral neck surgery

The fragility of the femoral neck makes it easily susceptible to fractures, due to its structure and the weight supported by the body. To diagnose the fracture, a precise radiological examination is essential. Unfortunately, only surgery can overcome this femoral neck injury.

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