A joint replacement may seem daunting, but it's often necessary after years of wear and tear on your joint. However, it is more challenging to decide on joint replacement surgery.
Don’t put it off too long, though — the longer you wait, the more damage you could do to your body.
If you require joint replacement surgery, Dr. Brandon Downs has you covered. Dr. Downs offers several types of joint replacements at his practice, Orthopaedic Specialists, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Your joints are vital and allow you to move and walk throughout the day. However, your joints take the brunt of your daily activities and often suffer damage over time. Catching joint pain early on may allow you to get your pain under control with conservative measures.
Arthritis is one of the major culprits behind chronic joint pain. Osteoarthritis is a type of degenerative arthritis that leads to the breakdown of cartilage in your joints. However, sometimes, other conditions damage the protective tissues in your joints, leading to chronic pain.
You may need a joint replacement when you're in constant pain in your knees, hips, or shoulders. Some of the other reasons you might benefit from this procedure include the following:
A combination of these issues often pushes you to seek expert treatment from Dr. Svabek. Suppose you've tried conservative therapies, and your pain limits your activities. In that case, you may be a good candidate for joint replacement surgery.
You must take it seriously if you're dealing with joint pain daily. When you've already tried physical therapy, injections, and activity modifications without relief, it's a good idea to consider a joint replacement.
Although you should take some time to think about the risks and benefits, you don’t want to put surgery off too long. There are plenty of issues that can arise the longer you wait, which include:
One of the dangers of putting off joint replacement surgery is more damage to your joint. When you let arthritis go, and it continues, you may notice more impairment in your joint and a more noticeable deformity.
When your joint doesn't move due to damage or arthritis, the muscles surrounding it also become weak. Muscle weakness increases your risk of falls and other injuries.
As arthritis progresses, it leads to stiffness in your joints as the tissues contract to protect them. Your joint moves less in severe arthritis, affecting your mobility and ability to perform your normal activities.
Getting around is difficult as your joint continues to deteriorate. Mobility issues stress you greatly, as you can't walk up the steps or get around your house. The longer you put off surgery, the worse your mobility issues become.
Believe it or not, you're at risk for injury to your other joints and structures. The rest of your body compensates for your damaged joint, which can cause injuries or arthritis in other essential components.
When Dr. Svabek suggests a joint replacement, ask him any questions that help you decide. Although it can be scary to think about, you'll thank yourself when your pain is gone. You should have better mobility after your procedure.
If you're ready to discuss your joint replacement procedure, call Orthopaedic Specialists today or request an online appointment at one of our offices in the Nashville, Tennessee area.
