General Practitioner?s visit
The General Practitioner will take a history and examine you and from that information may make a diagnosis of osteoarthritis of the hip. The General Practitioner may wish to have an X-ray to confirm this or may work in an area where there is a triage system in place. This is usually a clinic run by physiotherapists and General Practitioners interested in bone problems. They will re-take your history and examine you and arrange the relevant X-rays to make the diagnosis.
Following either the General Practitioner?s clinic or the triage clinic appointment you may be asked to ?Choose and Book?. This allows you to choose from a range of Orthopaedic centres in your area. Your doctor will advise you on which one you should choose.
The triage clinic
If you are referred to a triage clinic the staff there will then make a decision as to whether you can undergo a course of conservative treatment. This can be summed up as exercise, weight loss and pain killers. Alternatively you may be referred on to the Orthopaedic Clinic in the hospital.
