Research shows that the hip is the second most common joint replacement, trailing behind the knee replacement, which is the number one joint replacement. Many people have arthritis in their hips. Causing the patient pain while walking, standing, and even sitting this is when you need to see an orthopedic surgeon.
Arthritis is the main reason why the orthopedic surgeons will perform hip replacement. Arthritis is inflammation of the joints. If the problem of arthritis in your hips goes untreated by a doctor or orthopedic surgeon then it could lead to cartilage loss and exposed bone. A normal hip without arthritis or any injuries in the past would be a smooth joint surface, causing no pain.
Orthopedic surgeons, the ones who do hip replacement surgery, will be able to determine if a person is in need of joint replacement. Some of the symptoms that indicate the possible need for a hip replacement are: severe pain, trouble standing up from a sitting position, or certain other movements.
If you are experiencing severe pain in your joints you should seek the consultation of an orthopedic surgeon. First an Orthopaedic doctor will often want to exhaust non-surgical means such as: pain medication, physical therapy, and other non-surgical solutions. Then after consultation and any tests the orthopedic doctor deems necessary, your orthopedic surgeon may recommend a hip replacement. In a hip replacement surgery, the orthopedic surgeons will remove the damaged surface and replace it with an implant.
Having a total hip replacement is a major surgery. Once the surgery is over you will stay in the hospital for as long as your surgeon recommends. Each orthopedic surgeon will have his or her own time line as for the length you will stay in the hospital. The average is a week or two this depends on how you are healing. If you are able to get up and use a walker or can in order to start walking without pain.
The hip replacement rids the damage joint lining replacing the surface with the implant functioning as a normal hip. The hip implant can wear out over time, because of this orthopedic surgeons often prefer to exhaust all non-surgical options first, especially on younger people who will have to make the replacement last the longest.
Constant research is being done in this field to create consistently new, updated, implants that last longer, wear better, and require less invasive surgery to improve the lives of patients in need of these replacements. Hip replacements have come a very long way over the last decade or so and we continue to see frequent improvements.
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