You’ve likely heard of musculoskeletal injuries, such as a pulled muscle. However, ligament injuries are often overlooked, but can lead to permanent problems if they aren’t treated appropriately. Ligaments are an important part of your musculoskeletal system, so it’s important to get treatment when you have severe pain.
At Bay Oaks Orthopedics & Sports Medicine, our team is ready to help you when ligament pain strikes. Our expert team is led by Dr. Anthony Milillo, who specializes in many different types of orthopedic problems. If you’re suffering from ligament pain, Dr. Melillo can help with a variety of different treatments.
The musculoskeletal system in your body is made up of several different components, including your bones and tendons. Ligaments are also included in this system, and are extremely important. The ligaments attach a bone to another bone in your joint, or in some cases, bone to cartilage.
Ligaments are very strong, because they need to keep your joints intact by connecting your bones. However, even though they’re very tough, in certain circumstances or injury, they can become sprained or torn.
Sprains are common injuries that can happen to the ligaments in your body. It happens when the strands of the ligament are stretched too far, resulting in fraying or tearing of the ligament. Common ligaments that are sprained are those located in your ankle, wrist, or knee.
Your ligaments may also become painful due to overuse. This is common in sports, when you use a certain area of your body over and over. It leads to damage to the ligament over time, and may result in a ligament tear. This can cause severe pain and joint instability.
It’s important to seek treatment for ligament pain when it doesn’t seem to get any better on its own. Because ligaments are involved in keeping the bones in your joints in working order, it can take some time for them to heal.
However, if your pain persists after rest and other home treatments, or your joint seems to give out, it’s important to seek treatment from Dr. Melillo. Early treatment for ligament injuries can prevent further problems with both your joint and your ligament.
When you’re suffering from ligament pain that just doesn’t seem to quit, it’s important that you seek treatment. Delaying treatment could result in more damage to the ligament or increasing amounts of pain.
When you see Dr. Mellilo for your pain, he conducts a thorough exam of the injured area to determine the best route of treatment. He may also order an X-ray or MRI to see what tissues are affected by the injury.
In most cases, Dr. Mellilo starts your treatment using conservative measures. These treatments are usually non-invasive, and help your injured ligament to heal. Some of the treatments that Dr. Mellillo suggests for ligament pain include:
Dr. Mellilo may also suggest regenerative medicine when your pain is severe and other treatments don’t seem to help. He may also use regenerative medicine in conjunction with other treatments to stimulate your body’s natural healing process.
Regenerative medicine includes stem cell therapy and platelet-rich plasma therapy. Hyaluronic acid injections are also included in this type of medicine, and are used to lubricate your joints, which helps control pain.
In some cases, these treatments are enough to allow your ligament to heal and decrease your pain. However, in more severe cases of pain or if you’ve suffered a ligament tear, Dr. Mellilo may suggest surgery to repair the ligament.
Don't continue to suffer from ligament pain — call us today at 281-223-1391, or book an appointment with Dr. Melillo using our convenient online booking tool.
