Dr. Jeffrey R. Carlson MD

Orthopedist

250 Nat Turner Blvd Newport News VA, 23606 Show map

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About

Jeffrey R. Carlson, MD, is an established orthopedist and orthopedic surgeon with Orthopaedic & Spine Center in Newport News, Virginia. He graduated with his medical degree from George Washington University in 1993 and served a general surgery internship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital, residency at Harvard University, an orthopedic trauma surgery fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital, and a spine surgery fellowship at Brigham and Women's Hospital. Dr. Carlson received board certification in orthopedic surgery from the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery and maintains professional society memberships with the Society for Minimally Invasive Spine Surgery and the American Medical Association. Dr. Jeffrey Carlson joined OSC in 1999, and serves as the President and Managing Partner. He focuses on the treatment of injuries and disorders of the spine and also sees patients for a wide variety of general orthopedic issues and problems and favors conservative treatment for his patients. As an orthopedist, Dr. Carlson stays actively involved in continuing medical education by teaching spine surgery techniques around the world. He has received many awards, including being named one of America's Top Orthopaedic Spine Reconstructive Surgeons, earning the Arthritis Foundation's Medical Excellence Award and being included in Becker's Specialty Review Spine Surgeons to Know.

Dr. Jeffrey R. Carlson MD's Videos

Education and Training

MD at George Washington University

BS at University of Maryland

College Park

Mechanical Engineering 1993

Board Certification

American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery

Orthopaedic SurgeryAmerican Board of Orthopaedic SurgeryABOS

Provider Details

MaleEnglish 32 years of experience

Dr. Jeffrey R. Carlson MD

Dr. Jeffrey R. Carlson MD's Expert Contributions

My Latest Posts
My Answers

When Should I Think About Disc Surgery?
Lumbar disc herniations can be found in 40% of asymptomatic patients, and in the neck, almost 30% of asymptomatic patients will have a disc herniation on their MRI. These seem like astounding numbers, as most people think that all disc herniations cause severe pain or nerve dysfunction and will...

How long does a hip replacement take to heal?
There a several types of surgeries to place a hip replacement. Depending on the surgical approach to the hip, the amount of muscle that is disrupted and the type of iimplant used, the typical hip replacement should be healed by 3 months. Limping may be a sign of muscular weakness that needs to be addressed. READ MORE
Can joint pain be considered as a symptom for gout?
Gout will cause joint pain, but there are many causes of joint pain. You should be examined by your physician to help in the diagnosis. READ MORE
Can a knee surgery help in relieving the pain due to arthritis?
Yes, surgery can help with arthritic knee pain. It is not the first option however. Your doctor should evaluate the painful joint to insure the diagnosis is correct, the proceed with treatments from the least invasive up to surgery. READ MORE
I am having a severe pain in my neck post an accident. What can i do?
Yes, you should have an X-ray and be evaluated. READ MORE
partial vs full joint replacment
Partial and Total joint replacements refer to the amount of the joint that is removed and replaced with the new metal and plastic implants. The usual determining factor is how much of the joint is damaged, which will determine how much of the joint needs to be replaced. In general, you only want to replace the portion of the joint that is not functioning well. The longevity of the implants and the surgical outcomes can be dependent on several factors including the type of implant, the positioning of the implant surgically and the use of the implant after surgery. READ MORE
I have a bulge in my back bone at the bottom. Can it be treated with surgery?
Generally boney protrusions are not treated surgically. The best option is to get this lump evaluated to determine it's consistency and make a plan. Therapy programs, injections and mdications may be a better option than surgery. READ MORE
My husband is having a growth in ankle bone. Does it need surgery?
It is very difficult to determine what a "growth" on the ankle bone is made of without imaging studies. An X-ray, MRI, or CT scan would be very helpful to your doctors to know what the next steps would be. Sometimes these things will need surgery but sometimes just bracing. He needs to be evaluated to determine the nature of the growth. READ MORE
Inner thigh hurts when walking fast
This sounds like a tendon/muscular pain issue. It may be the adductor or hamstring tendon that attaches to the inner portion of the thigh is too tight to run. When longer strides are used, the tendon may not be able to make the stretch and causes pain. Generally, a physical therapist can help improve this function. READ MORE
Will I be able to swim again after ankle replacement?
My interest is really in spine surgery. READ MORE
Recurring hip pain
There are many reasons for pain in the front of the hip but orthopaedically they are usually 1) muscle strain, 2) ligament strain, 3) tears in the hip joint cartilage. Non-orthopaedic issues can also include hernias and ovarian cysts. If this is a transient issue, than most likely it is a muscle or tendon strain. This is best treated with stretching. You can certainly do this prior to your exercise routine. You may want to see a physical therapist to help with the correct form in stretching. READ MORE
My knee grinds when I climb stairs. What can be done?
You may have a condition called "Chondromalacia" of the cartilage between the kneecap and the femur bone. This is similar to the small cracks that you see in fine china dinnerware. These cracks can be seen and very mildly felt with moving your finger tip over the china's surface. These small cracks in the cartilage also cause grinding in the knee as the surface is a little bit rough but not broken. This is not a reason to do a knee surgery, replacement or otherwise. Pain and deformity are the only reasons to do a knee replacement, so as long as you do not have pain, you won't be headed for any surgery. READ MORE
ACL repair
This is true, but the answer depends on the patient's situation. The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is the main stabilizer for the knee joint. The ACL keeps the femur and the tibia aligned which allows the knee to flex and extend. Without the ACL, the femur will slide on the tibia and cause a shearing force across the cartilage. This shear can lead to rapid degeneration of the cartilage and possibly the early need for a knee replacement. So, if you don't intend to use the knee very much, the ACL will not be used very much and the cartilage will not degrade as quickly. Those that want to participate in athletics will definitely need an ACL. In those patients that already have severe degeneration in the knee cartilage (arthritis), the ACL does not need to be repaired because the patient actually needs a knee replacement. READ MORE
I have chronic knee pain
If the cartilage is now severely degenerated, the knee will need replacement. Pain is the real reason to get a knee replacement. READ MORE