The idea of having surgery always sounds intimidating, especially when prosthetic materials are involved. However, orthopedic surgeons perform so many of these operations today that the results are becoming more and more consistent, and the patients are more and more pleased with the results.
You can get your knee back. Or your shoulder, hip, wrist, or elbow.
Total joint replacement surgery is most often performed on a joint that has arthritis. Nearly 450,000 hip replacements and about 790,000 knee replacements are performed annually in the United States, and patients are then able to enjoy life pain-free and to get back to their active lifestyles once again.
Let’s talk about why you may need to have total joint replacement surgery, why the procedure is worth it, and where you can go in the Watertown area for world-class orthopedic medical care.
Why Should I Have a Total Joint Replacement?
Total joint replacement is considered one of the safest and most reliable surgical treatment options in orthopedic medicine. Some of the main reasons why you may want to consider having joint replacement surgery include the following:
Suffering from Arthritis and Chronic Joint Pain
In the early stages of arthritis, your physician will likely recommend nonsurgical treatment options such as pain relievers, physician-administered steroid injections into the joint, and physical therapy. When arthritis becomes so advanced that it causes constant joint pain and is debilitating, your orthopedic doctor may recommend that you consider having total joint replacement surgery, which will remove the cause of your arthritis pain.
There are various types of arthritis, including:
- Rheumatoid Arthritis – Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease in which your immune system attacks healthy joint cells, namely the synovial lining. RA can cause joint deformity, and the inflammation can spread to other organs in the body because it is a rheumatic condition.
- Osteoarthritis – Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative “wear and tear” condition that frequently affects your hips, knees, and hands. In OA, the cartilage within your joint wears down, and your bones begin to change in shape as they scrape against each other whenever you move the joint. This is sometimes called bone-on-bone arthritis.
- Traumatic Arthritis – A traumatic injury can result in arthritis, and this often warrants joint replacement surgery as the best treatment option. In post-traumatic arthritis, your joints become inflamed and painful.
Nonsurgical Treatment Options Failed
Orthopedic doctors often recommend having the physician-administered steroid injection treatment, which also includes an anesthetic to numb the painful joint and to help you start moving it again without causing pain. The pain-relieving effects of this treatment can last for weeks to months at a time.
If injection treatment and physical therapy are no longer sufficient in tamping down your joint pain and disability, your orthopedic physician is likely to recommend that you consider total joint replacement surgery.
Joint Replacement Surgery in Watertown, NY
If you have chronic joint pain or are developing a bit of a disability in a joint, visit the medical experts at North Country Orthopaedic Group. Our board-certified orthopedic surgeons will thoroughly evaluate your condition and recommend the least-invasive and most appropriate treatment option for you.
Call us today at (315) 782-1650, or request an appointment now via our online form. Let us help you enjoy pain-free movement and an active lifestyle!
