If you’re living with a hip that is causing pain, stiffness, and limited mobility, you may need a hip replacement. In this blog post, I will explore the process from start to finish. What are the symptoms? Hip replacements are typically performed when there is significant damage to both sides of the joint from arthritis or trauma. The most common symptom is pain when walking upstairs or standing for long periods, which often leads to limping and difficulty doing daily activities. In Chevy Chase, MD, there are facilities you can visit and get a hip replacement solution. Consider finding a Chevy Chase hip replacement specialist who has served many patients before you. This blog post gives you a broad scope of hip replacement treatment.
What is Hip Replacement?
Hip replacement surgery is designed to treat severe hip damage and help return the hip joint to normal functioning. This can be done either with a plastic and metal ball and socket replacement called a total hip replacement or by resurfacing just the damaged area of the hip with a metal shell and a plastic liner. The more commonly used of these two procedures is usually total hip replacement surgery.
What Causes Hip Damage?
The most common cause in the general population is osteoarthritis, a family of disorders including rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Osteoarthritis causes inflammation, thickening, and loss of cartilage at the joint surface, which leads to pain, stiffness, and limited mobility.
In hip replacement surgery, both sides of the hip joint are replaced with a metal stem inserted into the thigh bone (femur) and a metal or plastic ball attached to the end of the upper leg bone (the femoral head).
What Does Hip Replacement Involve?
Hip replacement surgery is an outpatient procedure that typically takes between one and three hours, depending on the actual hip implant used. General anesthesia aims to block nerve impulses so that your brain and body do not feel pain during the operation.
A breathing tube may be placed in your throat to help maintain your airway during surgery when you are under general anesthesia. Once the anesthesia has taken effect, the surgeon will incise over the side or front of your hip to expose muscles around the hip joint.
Benefits of Hip Replacement
Hip replacement surgery can eliminate or reduce pain and restore hip function. The most common reasons for hip replacement are osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, avascular necrosis (death of bone cells in the joint’s ball), infection, fractures, and other injuries. Hip replacement surgery is beneficial for people whose pain affects their daily activities, including walking and sleep.
How is the Recovery Time?
Following hip replacement surgery, you can expect to remain in the hospital for about one-three days. If your rehabilitation is being done at a facility other than your surgery, you’ll need to arrange transportation home after your discharge or have someone drive you. Physical therapy will help increase your range of motion and improve your strength until you can walk independently.
Hip replacement surgery is a solution to severe hip damage, whether it’s from arthritis or trauma. Total Hip Replacement Surgery can replace both sides of the joint with metal stems and plastic balls while resurfacing the damaged area with metal shells and plastic liners used for less severe cases. The specialists will guide you on the recovery process.
