If you’ve found that hip discomfort has started to become more burdensome during everyday activities, you may have thought about the possibility of undergoing joint replacement surgery. A hip replacement procedure can be incredibly helpful for the right type of patient, but how do you know if the operation is right for you? In today’s blog, we take a closer look at some of the signs that suggest it may be time to consider artificial hip replacement.
Signs It’s Time For A New Hip
The following signs may indicate that it’s time to seriously broach the topic of hip joint replacement with your primary care physician or an orthopedic specialist like Dr. Botero:
- You’ve Pursued Non-Operative Treatments Without Success – It’s incredibly unlikely that hip replacement surgery will be your first course of treatment. In fact, most hip surgeons will not move forward with a procedure unless a patient has pursued multiple non-operative treatments over the course of many weeks without success. Hip surgery is a major trauma on the body that involves additional risks, and while they can be well controlled by a skilled surgeon, your doctor will first try to solve the problem non-operatively. Until you’ve really given it your all with conservative treatments, it’s likely not yet time for hip replacement surgery.
- Daily Activities Are Interrupted By Hip Pain – If hip pain is making it difficult or impossible to perform certain everyday tasks, you may want to have a conversation with a hip specialist like Dr. Botero. If you’re having trouble walking, you no longer feel comfortable driving or hip discomfort is affecting your sleep quality, it may be time to consider joint replacement surgery.
- Decreased Quality Of Life – Similarly, if hip discomfort is keeping you from all of the activities you love, it’s time to consider treatment. You shouldn’t have to live life on the sidelines because of persistent hip pain. If you can no longer pursue some of your favorite activities, or you find that you’re oftentimes in a negative mood as a result of your hip discomfort, you may be a candidate for hip replacement.
- Significant Arthritic Degeneration On Imaging – Sometimes your hip pain is a result of something that will respond well to conservative treatments, like a muscular imbalance or posture problem. However, conservative care can’t reverse the effects of significant joint and cartilage degeneration. If you’ve lost a fair amount of cartilage and bones in the area are rubbing against one another, your best option to put an end to your discomfort in the long term may be a surgical procedure.
- You’re Willing To Take On The Challenge – Finally, a hip specialist is only going to recommend a joint replacement procedure to a patient if they appear ready to take on the physical and mental challenges that will come with a joint replacement procedure. Although you’ll be much more functional after your hip replacement, getting to that point won’t be easy. You will have pain and discomfort during the recovery process, and you’ll also need to push yourself and work hard during your physical therapy sessions. We always say that you’ll get out what you put in after a joint replacement procedure, and a surgeon isn’t going to want to perform a replacement surgery on a patient who has no intentions of working to recover during their rehabilitation period. If you’re ready to take on the challenge of surgery and recovery, you may be ready for the procedure.
Of course, there’s more that goes into hip replacement candidacy than what we discussed above, so if you want more information or are interested in connecting with a hip specialist who can help you overcome your hip discomfort, reach out to Dr. Botero and his team today at (865) 558-4444.
