Due to a variety of different circumstances, a person’s hip joints can cause chronic pain, swelling, and immobility. When this happens, a patient is advised to undergo a hip replacement. This surgical process involves the removal of the damaged hip joint and then replaced with an artificial metal joint.
In 2010, about 2.5 million Americans had total hip replacements, and it has exponentially grown since then. While hip dislocation can be treated with physical therapy and other issues can be cured with prescribed medications, the worst hip problems are only curable with hip replacement surgery. This is recommended, especially if a person cannot bend without experiencing pain, and if they can’t walk and do chores properly.
Here’s a list to know more about the reasons why someone needs a hip replacement:
Worn Off Joints Due To Osteoarthritis
This health condition is the leading cause of hip replacement procedures worldwide. In 2011, about 28 million Americans were diagnosed with this type of arthritis. Osteoarthritis mostly occurs during old age, as the cartilage of hip joints has already eroded. This results in bone-to-bone friction that causes bone damage and bone spur formation.
The swelling and extreme pain that comes with osteoarthritis affect the health and lifestyles of patients. That is why they seek treatment, and one of these is hip replacement surgery. Understanding osteoarthritis and how it develops through age can help you prevent this from happening when you get older.
Broken Hip Bone
Accidents may cause hip fractures that are difficult to deal with. It happens when the hip bone or the femur gets broken and causes extreme pain. Significant causes of bone breakage are falls, wherein the hip often receives the most impact and damage.
Individuals who have certain health conditions, like osteoporosis and anorexia nervosa, are more prone to hip fractures as their bones, in general, are less dense and more fragile. If these people try to lift heavy weights, there is a higher chance of them acquiring bone fractures. Hip replacement surgery replaces the broken hip bone and gives patients the opportunity to recover and be able to move freely again.
Misaligned Hip Joints Caused By Bone Dysplasia
Bone dysplasia is a physical problem wherein the bone and its joints are not correctly aligned. This causes unnecessary rubbing and friction that makes the joints wear off faster than usual. It is common among babies and children, with 1 out of 6 newborns having unstable joints and loose hips.
To avoid its development in the future, parents are now advised to learn how to swaddle their babies properly. It is vital to be knowledgeable about hip friendly baby carriers available on the market, and how to correctly position a child based on their age. If the condition persists until adulthood, hip replacement surgery is required to correct the size and alignment of joints.
Inflamed Joints Due To Rheumatoid Arthritis
Often, patients with rheumatoid arthritis seek hip replacement surgery to treat their health problems. This kind of arthritis involves inflamed synovium that further results in extreme pain and discomfort. The synovium is a membrane lining on the bone that aids in joint lubrication as well.
When it swells, the tissues and tendons around the bone get damaged, and the hip bone and joints can get deformed. There is still no known cure for rheumatoid arthritis. Thus, prescription medicines are given to patients to reduce their symptoms. If medications will not work, hip replacement surgery is needed to remove affected bone and joint cartilage, and replace them with a joint made of metal.
Damaged Hip Joints Due To Bone Tumor
Hip replacement surgery is also needed if an individual has a bone tumor that has already spread to the hip and leg joints. When a tumor is found, the first thing that doctors will execute is to remove the mass and some surrounding tissues safely. If a joint has been removed during the surgical process, replacement surgery will also be conducted at the same time.
Post-Hip Replacement Surgery
After hip replacement surgery, a patient needs to rest and recover for months to let the joints and bones heal. It is essential to know that not everyone recovers from these physical conditions and diseases the same way.
Orthopedists, physical therapists, and occupational therapists can help them go back to their old lifestyles before experiencing hip fracture and hip dislocation, and make their rehabilitation faster and more effective. Therapy also requires a lot of patience and time, as complete healing is a result of a long and gradual process.
