The closest thing to that is a primary care doctor. A good primary care doctor should be someone you can easily communicate with and will refer you to a qualified specialist doctor who can treat that injury if needed. In the emergency room and during follow-up visits with other doctors, you may need to see radiologists. X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, and other imaging studies will be read to you.
If you have broken bones and other serious injuries, you will need to see a radiologist several times over many months. You may need surgery after an accident, in which case you will see one or more surgeons. Trauma surgeons are often called in to treat serious injuries after an accident, while orthopedic surgeons may need to treat ongoing problems that persist for months or years. If you had a traumatic brain injury, whiplash, or other condition affecting your brain, you may need to see a neurologist.
They will examine you and make suggestions for further treatment. Neurologists often have to think about the long-term effects of accidents and how to mitigate symptoms over time. After an accident, you should see your primary care doctor for treatment and follow-up, as well as any specialist your doctor refers you to. If you have moderate to severe injuries, you will need to go to the emergency room and follow up with your primary care doctor afterwards.
Car accident injuries can range from minor bruises to serious, life-threatening conditions. Regardless of the severity of the injuries, you'll need to see a doctor who can evaluate and treat you properly. And if the other driver was at fault for the accident, you may be entitled to compensation from their insurance company. However, most sports injuries and even fractures can be treated by a primary care doctor or sports medicine.
If you need surgery, your primary care doctor can give you recommendations for an orthopedic surgeon. This type of treatment is done without prescription drugs or surgery, so some athletes prefer to try these means first. It's important to see a doctor right after an accident, and you'll likely see many different types of providers as you recover. If you belong to an HMO or PPO, you may find that your primary care doctor is the first person you see for your injury.
Once the specialist completes the tasks requested in the referral, she will send her primary care doctor a report with her findings and recommendations. Your treating doctor agrees and obtains authorization from your insurance company for surgery. They usually have longer clinical hours than a primary care physician (PCP) and you can go without an appointment. For non-surgical sports medicine physicians, a Certificate of Additional Qualifications in Sports Medicine has been made available to physicians who are already board certified through the American Board of Family Practice, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Emergency Medicine.
After diagnosis by a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon or sports medicine doctor, other providers may be involved in caring for sports-related injuries. Yes, nearly all family medicine doctors can diagnose and treat a wide range of sports-related injuries.
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