How to Know if You Need a Joint Replacement Surgery?
Have you tried every possible non-surgical treatment to get rid of the chronic joint pain only to discover that there’s no relief in your joints? Are you wondering if it is high time you should consider the joint replacement surgery? Well, a majority of the patients consider the idea of joint replacement intimidating. But it is worth to note that nothing can be worse than having to deal with critical joint pain for the rest of your life. Perhaps, this is the reason why there is around millions of joint replacement surgeries performed in the United States annually.
Gone are the days when joint replacement looked overwhelming. In today’s technology-driven world, this surgical procedure is considered one of the safest and effective treatment options for patients struggling with arthritis. Do you still think joint replacement is a severe and intimidating surgery? Well, read on this post to get a clearer view of what this surgical treatment actually is.
All You Should Know About Joint Replacement
Before discussing whether or not you need the joint replacement surgery, let’s first understand some basic details of this surgery. First of all, joint replacement surgery is not limited to the knee or hip replacement, instead, this surgical procedure can be performed on human’s elbows, ankles, wrists, and shoulders too. However, the research suggests a majority of the surgeries are either performed on hips or knees.
The practitioner removes the damaged bone or cartilage from the affected part and recreates a new joint with the help of prosthetic pieces. The best part about these prosthetic pieces is it completely feels like your natural joint. As soon as the patient’s recovery period is over, he/she can experience the natural range of motion and healthy mobility. What else? Some people still consider it an overwhelming surgical treatment but to their surprise, it is considered one of the most common surgical procedures across the world. Joint replacement surgery lasts for 3-4 hours and can be performed in the hospital or an outpatient surgery center. The patients need one-day stay in the hospital and that’s it! They can go home the same day or the following day.
Who Needs Joint Replacement Surgery?
If you have already followed the non-surgical medical treatments and couldn’t find any relief, an orthopedic may recommend you to have joint replacement therapy to fight off pain. But the recommendation of surgery doesn’t always mean you have to get your joints replaced, instead, there are different surgical treatments that may realign your joint or remove the damaged joint. Based on your physical condition, the severity of the pain you are experiencing in the joints, and type of arthritis, the doctor will recommend you to get the permanent solution for this unbearable pain i.e. Joint replacement surgery. To determine if you need Joint replacement surgery, you must meet the following conditions:
- You are physically fit and in a good health condition (except for the joint pain caused by arthritis).
- You have a high level of chronic and nagging joint pain.
- You are struggling with a damaged or problematic joint.
- The pain you have is caused by osteoarthritis rather than any casual inflammatory condition.
Basically, the non-surgical treatment options such as physical therapy, medication, weight loss, lifestyle changes, and more are available for arthritis patients. But these treatments are not effective when it comes to aligning your problematic joint or removing the damaged one. If you have been experiencing the symptoms of arthritis, it is the high time you consult with an Orthopedic Surgeon and get a Joint replacement surgery. Are you still in doubt whether the surgery is the only option for your sore joints? Here are some questions you should ask yourself to confirm if you are fit for the joint replacement surgery.
- Is there any possibility I can endure the severe joint pain for the rest of my life?
- Are the symptoms of arthritis worsening over time?
- Am I physically and mentally fit for this surgery?
- Am I able to finance the surgical treatment?
- Can I face the recovery period?
Though joint replacement surgery is a common procedure for surgeons, getting your joints replaced is completely your decision. Make sure to consult with a joint replacement surgeon to get your joint issue diagnosed at the earliest possible time. The sooner you get the treatment, the faster your recovery. Hope this post helped you to learn everything about joint replacement surgery. Good Luck!
