Non-Surgical Orthopedics

What types of nonsurgical orthopedic treatments might I need?

Your initial treatment plan is likely to consist of the most conservative approaches, which are entirely noninvasive. These include:

Physical therapy

Physical therapy is one of the most important elements of any rehabilitation plan. In addition to having you regularly perform specific exercises, your physical therapist might help you by fitting a splint or brace, showing you how to use walking aids correctly, and using passive therapies like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS).

Physical therapy helps to improve blood flow to the injured area, providing essential oxygen, regenerative cells, and nutrients that your tissues need to repair themselves. It also strengthens the tissues as they heal, keeps you flexible, and eases pain.

Medication

Pain medication might be necessary for severe injuries and conditions like arthritis. Other medications can also help, such as antiseizure drugs that reduce nerve activity and specialized medications that Dr. Malik could discuss with you at your appointments. Getting the right amount of rest and modifying your activities are important for giving your damaged tissues time to heal. If your pain persists, Dr. Malik also offers a range of injectable treatments.

What injectable nonsurgical treatments are available?

Dr. Malik uses three types of injectable nonsurgical treatments:

Steroid injections

Steroid injections into joints or soft tissues can have a long-lasting anti-inflammatory effect that helps reduce persistent pain.

Regenerative medicine

Regenerative medicine is an expanding field that uses biologics — cells and tissues taken from your body or that are synthetically derived. Dr. Malik uses platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to help heal and decrease inflammation in the area treated. PRP comes from your blood and contains a concentrated solution of growth factors that help with the natural healing process.

Viscosupplementation

Viscosupplementation is the injection of a natural lubricant called hyaluronic acid into your joints. It’s particularly useful in treating arthritis as it helps the bones in your joints slide over each other rather than rubbing together and causing pain. They are also anti-inflammatory in nature.

Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA)

Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a minimally invasive, nonsurgical orthopedic treatment that uses targeted heat generated by radiofrequency energy to interrupt pain signals from specific nerves. By reducing nerve-related pain in areas such as the spine, knees, or hips, RFA can help patients experience long-lasting relief and improved mobility without the need for surgery.

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)

Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS) is a minimally invasive and minor surgical treatment that is FDA-approved, non-opiate, as well as a reversible procedure for managing chronic pain in the back, legs, or arms when other treatments fail. It uses a surgically implanted device to send mild electrical pulses to the spinal cord, masking pain signals before they reach the brain.

If you have an injury or condition that could benefit from nonsurgical treatment, call Texas Pain & Orthopedics or book an appointment online.