Home FAQ's

Frequently Asked Questions FAQ's

Do I need a doctor's referral to make an appointment with Dr. Keith Low?

ANS: As a Specialist clinic, patients need referral from their General Practitioner, family physician or other doctor to make an appointment with Dr. Low.

Do I need to have private health insurance?

Private Health insurance allows you and your family to access the right health services
at the right time. You have control of your health care and can choose the provider,
facility and timing of your treatment. With the security and protection of private health insurance, you have access to an extensive range of private hospitals and can rest
assured that your health is in good hands.

Will my insurance cover all your treatments?

Insurance will only cover medical treatments. Cosmetic treatments are not covered.

What are the Medicare rules about referrals to specialists?

If you want Medicare to help to pay for specialist medical services at the referred rate,
it is essential to discuss your condition and possible referral with your family doctor
before you see the specialist. Please note that the backdating of referrals is illegal
and can result in heavy fines and prison sentences. If you have any questions about
seeing medical specialists or about the Medicare benefits system, please ask your family doctor or contact Medicare on 13 2011.

What is osteoarthritis?

ANS: Osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis. It is caused by the breakdown
of cartilage. Cartilage is the tough elastic material that covers and protects the ends of bones. Bits of cartilage may break off and cause pain and swelling in the joint between bones. This pain and swelling is called inflammation. Over time the cartilage may wear
away entirely, and the bones will rub together. Osteoarthritis can affect any joint but usually affects hips, knees, hands and spine.

Will physical therapy be required after surgery?

ANS: Major surgery on a joint may take two or three hours in the operating room.
Getting full range of motion, strength and flexibility back in that joint after surgery
usually takes months. That's where pre-operative exercise and education and post-operative physiotherapy programs come in - to ensure you're physically and emotionally prepared for surgery, and to maximise your recovery after surgery. Together, such
programs are among the most important determinants in the success of your surgery.

What is a hip replacement?

A hip replacement involves a surgical procedure to replace part or all of a diseased or
damaged hip joint with an artificial substitute—a prosthetic hip joint. The operation to replace or mend a joint is known as 'arthroplasty'.
The aim of a hip replacement is to alleviate pain and restore function in the hip joint.

What are common causes for back pain?

Back pain afflicts 80% of the population at some point in their lives. Back pain
is not always the result of an accident or injury, but often times back pain is due
to long-term repetitive faulty habits such as poor posture, improper body
mechanics and decline in physical fitness. Other common causes include degeneration
of the discs, as well as disc herniations or other causes of pinched nerves, such as
spinal stenosis. Not only the discs themselves, however, can be a source of pain.
The facet joint, muscles and ligaments can also be involved in creating pain.

What is sciatica?

Sciatica is a condition caused by the sciatic nerves in the body becoming inflamed.
The sciatic nerves (largest nerve in the body) begin from your lower spine and
continue down the buttock area, back of the leg, and into the foot. Symptoms can
range from a light tingling feeling, burning sensation to a full blown shooting pain
radiating from your lower back, buttock area or leg. Sciatica usually affects only
one side, although it is possible to also run down both legs.

How do disc injuries cause back pain?

Injury to the disc can cause pain in three different ways. First, the injured disc
can itself be painful. The damage results in development of pain coming directly
from the disc. Second, the injured disc may be weakened to the point that it no
longer functions as it should. Normally, the discs allow for normal movement of
the spine by acting as "shock absorbers" between the blocks of bone of the spine (vertebra). When the disc fails to do its job, the other parts of the spine, such as
the joints known as facet joints, may suffer.
This can generate secondary pain arising from the other structures. Finally, an
injured disc may be displaced from its normal position and pinch (compress) a
nerve, causing pain. If the displaced disc compresses or inflames a nerve, there
may be back pain, leg pain or a combination of both.