What is a Hip Replacement Procedure?
Hip replacement surgery is a surgical procedure in which the surgeon removes the damaged hip joint of the patient and replaces it with an artificial joint. This artificial joint can be made of metal, plastic or a combination of these two. It is usually done after all the other treatment options have failed including medications and physical rehabilitation. The aim behind this surgery is to make walking easier for the patient and to reduce the pain in the hip joint.
Things to know if you are getting a Hip Replacement
1-Hip replacement is not just for grandparents
The U.S. National Center for Health Statistics released information showing that the number of Total Hip Replacements in the United States jumped from 138,700 in 2000 to 310,800 in 2010. While these numbers showed a 92% increase in people above the age of 75, for people in the age between 40 to 50 it increased by around 205%.
While all the reasons for this increase in younger people getting THRs are not known, but some mentionable reasons can be –
- Increased awareness
- More prone to sport injuries
The rise in cases of ligament injuries is leading to an increase in the THRs in younger age groups.
2-Hospitals will give you instructions on resuming activities
The possibility of dislocating a newly implanted hip is very high. This is the reason that amongst other precautionary measures, the hospitals also advise the patients to follow precautions while engaging in physical activities. Given that the new hip is sensitive for the first couple of months, doctors advise avoiding strenuous activities. And often patients are advised to visit the doctor if they feel any discomfort or pain during the recovery period.
3-The hip pain reduces in no time
One of the most incredible thing about a hip replacement is that many patients experience an almost immediate reduction in the hip pain, after the surgery. Even if the patient may still swelling and discomfort in the area, they feel that even with the aches, the bigger portion of the pain has vanished. They are guided to do some basic exercises to promote blood flow.
4-Pain medication: to be controlled
While pain medications are a wonderful aid to reduce the pain caused by the trauma on the body, they also cause a lot of harm to the system. The side effects include constipation, nausea, dizziness, loss of appetite and more. The pain medications slow down the gastrointestinal tract’s ability to move things along, causing the patient to feel bloated, and resulting in long-standing constipation.
Along with these side effects, one major side effects is getting addicted to the pain medicines.
5-Patients might get excessively emotional
Things before the surgery are usually aimed at the outcomes of the procedure: What to expect when you are in the hospital, how long you will remain admitted, medications required, how much and for how long, how to function with limited mobility, follow-ups. But nothing, however, prepares the patients for the emotional impact they will have to go through due to the surgery. Not being able to move around the house self-sufficiently can be an emotional turmoil. Patients tend to feel helpless after such surgeries, and it is advisable to open up to your peers or your surgeon about such feelings.
6-Precautions before the surgery are as important as after
Most of the surgeons also emphasize on this matter, that preoperative knowledge and planning is the key for a better outcome of the recovery process. One needs to plan their household accordingly, stock up things from the market so that they do not fall short of supplies or feel incomplete later in the process of recovery.
7-You may have to depend on other care givers during the recovery.
You will not be able to do all your tasks for a few days post surgery. The person although will be able to get some clothes on by themselves, make a basic meal, or maybe take a shower with minimal straining. However, for everything else the patient feels dependent: they won’t be able to bend over past 90 degrees, no driving, no walking more than five minutes at a time.
8-It is advised to avoid high impact activities
While everyone’s recovery is different, surgeons usually tell the patients that they might not be able to take part in contact sports or high-impact activities. There are physical therapies available which aim at making the patients with replaced joints, more mobile.
9-Following the physiotherapy program
Any kind of orthopedic surgery causes disruption to the rest of your body. The patient might experience muscle tightness all up and down the leg. A large part of the physical therapy is aimed at loosening the large muscles and allowing the joint to settle properly. The process of recovery is as important as the surgery itself.
Hip Replacement Surgery in India has a high achievement rate and most patients can have enduring advantages of the surgery. In any case, the expense of a hip replacement can be affected by a few components, including the kind of embed, producer, and individual factors, for example, the patient’s general wellbeing and action level. The Implant manufacturing organizations are continually striving to improve the nature of prosthetic parts to increase their life expectancy.