Top Signs You Might Need Joint Replacement Surgery

Signs Indicating the Need of Joint Replacement Surgery

In most cases, joint replacement surgery is prescribed after the years of ongoing pain and limited mobility. Let’s have a look at the following situations that often lead to the need for surgery.

1. The first indication is the occurrence of severe or advanced arthritis.

Joint replacement is the major step taken to address the problem that arises from arthritis. The different types of arthritis impair the joints in different manners:

Osteoarthritis – The protective cartilage is destroyed, which is accompanied by the formation of new bone between and around the two bones that are in contact. These changes result in limited movement (stiffness) and raising of some parts of the joint (swelling) with the continuous pain.

Rheumatoid Arthritis – This is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation in joints and may result in deformity and loss of function.

Post-Traumatic Arthritis – Joints can be damaged by injuries like fractures or ligament tears and the damage can lead to pain and limited movement.

Avascular Necrosis – The lack of blood flow to the bones leads to tissue death, which is most often in the hip and causes severe disability.

Eventually, when the condition of arthritis gets worse, then conservative treatments might not be sufficient to give relief, and thus, the surgery would become the only choice.

2. Dependence on Pain Medication

People who have to take pills for joint pain such as ibuprofen or acetaminophen every day are telling us indirectly that their joints are unhealthy. Not just that over time, this habit can hide the symptoms but also cause unpleasant side effects like ulcers in the stomach, kidney issues, and heart problems. If you find that you cannot function without medications, perhaps it might be time to think about consultation at the best orthopedic hospital in Hisar regarding the joint replacement surgery.

3. Imaging Results Show Severe Damage

Though indications like pain and stiffness are very essential signs, visualizing the affected areas gives clear signs of the degree of joint disintegration. Through X-rays, it is possible to show the reduced joint space, damaged or decreased cartilage, and if the bones are even in direct contact with each other. Besides that, MRI or CT scans directly uncover the hidden problems caused by the soft tissues and micro-deformations that gradually aggravate the joint function.

4. Non-Surgical Treatments No Longer Work

Joint pain is treated initially with conservative methods including anti-inflammatory drugs, steroid or lubricant injections, physical therapy, and lifestyle changes. Although these approaches may offer a temporary relief, their effect is not enough to halt the underlying damage. Gradually, the joint dysfunction or arthritis may develop to a point where the mentioned methods will have no effect on pain or lost mobility. Joint replacement surgery is the next step in treatment when all other therapies have been exhausted and the patient is still unable to perform the daily activities with ease. 

5. Pain Persists Even at Rest

One of the most suggested symptoms for operation is a continuous pain which also resists when the person is in a rest position (sitting or lying down). Usually pain at rest interferes with sleep and lowers the total quality of life, which is a sign of severe joint injury.

6. Swelling That Doesn’t Go Away

Unceasing swelling, heating, and redness in the surrounding area of a joint are indications of the disintegration of the joint and its instability. When the swelling has remained over a long period of time despite the use of medicine or undergoing physical therapy, change of the joint will probably be the most suitable method of treatment.

7. Visible Joint Deformity

Advanced arthritis may drastically change the shapes of joints. There are a few examples such as bow-leggedness, knock-knees, or limping that have become visibly pronounced, which indicate the severe breakdown of the joint. Along with that, people may even lose the ability to straighten the knee completely. Usually, these visible changes need some kind of surgical intervention.

8. Stiffness and Limited Mobility

If the loss of flexibility, decreased range of motion and stiffness become severe, people may find it difficult to do even simple and necessary activities. In the case that stiffness is so severe that walking, bending, or climbing stairs is significantly limited then a joint replacement is considered to be a wise decision in order to get back freedom of movement.

9. Age and Lifestyle Considerations

The majority of joint replacement surgeries happen to people over 60, as implants are generally expected to last 15–20 years. But on the other hand, there is a possibility that younger patients suffering from severe joint damage might also obtain relief through surgery. In that case, it is up to the patient’s health, activity level, and doctor’s advice.