Can I look for alternatives to joint replacement?

Can I look for alternatives to joint replacement?

If you are suffering from pain in your knees, hips or other joints, you should know that depending upon your condition, you may have other treatment options than undergoing joint replacement surgery right away. Many people suffering from pain caused by arthritis, injuries and other causes, often avoid seeing a doctor fearing that they might have to undergo surgery. They go on living with pain and as a result, their quality of life suffers to a great extent.

Did you know that surgery is only used as a last resort and before joint replacement surgery, your pain management doctors may recommend one of the following options for effective pain relief?

Lifestyle Changes

To relieve pain, doctors often encourage patients to lose weight and have healthier diet. You should know that every extra pound in your weight may exert up to three times that pressure on your knees.

Medication

Medications, such as NSAIDS (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs), can greatly help relieve pain, inflammation, and stiffness caused due to osteoarthritis and other joint conditions. However, such medication should only be taken under advice from your pain management doctor.

Physical Therapy

Your doctor may recommend physical therapy to relieve joint pain and stiffness. Trained physical therapists work closely with you to design an exercise plan, customized for you, and that helps strengthen the muscles supporting the joint. In addition to exercises, they may also use heat and ice, or incorporate methods, such as electronic nerve stimulation, to reduce pain and increase blood flow to the joint.

Injections

Another minimally invasive pain management option is cortisone or hyaluronic acid injections into the affected joint. While steroid joint injections can relieve pain and inflammation, hyaluronic acid injections lubricate the joint, making movement easier and pain-free.

Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic adjustments may help by reducing joint restrictions or misalignments in the joints, thereby relieving inflammation and improving function.

If you are experiencing any joint pain, consult a pain management doctor about your treatment 0ptions.

 

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