Knee and hip pain can be a source of misery and sadness for those suffering from knee or hip osteoarthritis. Even if your doctor recommends a joint replacement surgery, whether it's a knee or hip, you may need to think carefully and weigh the benefits against the risks before undergoing a major procedure such as a joint replacement. It's important for your patient to realize that it requires an intensive rehabilitation program before returning to their normal life.
One of the most important factors that determine whether a joint replacement surgery is right for a patient is the extent of the pain and the impact it has on their life and daily activities. Below, we discuss 6 signs that suggest it may be time to undergo a joint replacement surgery:
The patient is unable to perform their daily activities or complete their daily routine without assistance (needing assistance in all or most of the patient's daily activities).
Severe pain or unbearable pain. For example, when you wake up from sleep due to pain even after using medications and painkillers, or when the pain prevents you from walking, or pain that does not go away with rest, or pain that does not respond to conservative treatment.
When conservative non-surgical methods fail to help or improve the patient's condition.
When the patient suffers from severe side effects due to the medications and drugs used for treatment.
When the patient feels that the disease (osteoarthritis) has overcome him or has exhausted him physically, emotionally and psychologically.
The presence of roughness, severe erosion and tearing of the joint in diagnostic X-ray images.
When it is clear that the option of joint replacement surgery is the best option for the patient's condition, the patient's condition is evaluated to follow the appropriate procedure according to his health condition, such as the extent of suitability for undergoing general or spinal anesthesia, or whether a partial or total joint replacement is performed, or choosing a joint with complete flexion and many other aspects.
As for cases of joint osteoarthritis that have not reached a severe stage that requires joint replacement surgery as mentioned above, there are several ways to deal with the condition, whether through conservative, medicinal or regenerative methods, which we discussed in a previous article on this link.
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