Have you been experiencing pain in your shoulder? If so, it may be time to see an Austin orthopedic specialist. A shoulder injury can cause minor pain all the way to excruciating pain, but any pain at all may mean a visit to a trained physician is needed.
If you’ve been experiencing pain, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with an Austin orthopedic specialist today. Do you want to know what a visit entails before scheduling an appointment?
Here’s what to expect from an orthopedic shoulder exam.
Background History
To start, the orthopedic specialist will do a comprehensive evaluation of your medical history, including family history, past injuries or issues, and past surgeries or treatments. This allows the doctor to have a wide scope of view on your health so that they can assess your current injury with as much background information as possible. Once they’ve looked through and discussed your history with you, they will proceed with a physical examination.
Physical Examination
Next, your physician will begin by assessing your vitals and overall appearance to rule out any trauma that may require urgent intervention. After ruling this out, they’ll proceed with the following – inspection, palpation, range of motion, and testing your power. The doctor will start by inspecting your shoulder for any signs of swelling, skin redness, or previous surgical scars. They’ll also check your posture to ensure symmetry between each side of your shoulders. Next, they will proceed with the palpation of the shoulder – checking for tenderness and stability. After that, the doctor will proceed with checking your shoulders range of motion followed by comparing each side and testing power in flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction.
Assessment + Treatment
Once the physical examination is complete, the doctor will assess whether or not more tests (such as x rays) will need to be performed. Afterward, they will then determine the course of action that needs to be taken. Whether that is therapy, medication, or surgery – the doctor will provide you with a treatment plan for managing your injury. This is when your doctor should be able to provide you with any resources you may need as well as answer any questions you may have.
Shoulder injuries can be debilitating, but that doesn’t mean you should have to live with the pain forever. Now that you know what to expect from an orthopedic shoulder exam, it’s time to see an Austin orthopedic specialist today. If you’ve been experiencing pain, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with Dr. Alton Barron.