Having difficulty moving or pain in the knee joint can be unpleasant, and many people would go for knee replacement surgery. However, doctors do not support the idea of a knee replacement if the knee joint can be treated with a non-surgical option.
This post will discuss when surgery can be essential for you and why you should look out for non-surgical options before saying yes to surgery.
Revision knee replacement in Katy is a procedure where the original knee replacement is removed, or a part of it is replaced with a specialized prosthetic.
Why Should Surgery Be the Last Option?
When the pain becomes extensive, and the patient feels very difficult to move or even get up, they look out for surgical options. Surgery comes with its own rules and guidelines to be followed and can be expensive. The surgery can reduce or altogether abolish the pain, but it has its side effects and complications.
There are several non-surgical treatment options, and these can be very helpful in reducing pain; these include:
- Medication- Medications can lessen any inflammation-causing pain, or they can reduce pain in general.
- Lifestyle changes and exercise- Strengthening exercises (squats or physical therapy suggested by a doctor) and positive lifestyle changes can benefit the patient, and the pain can then be bearable.
- Injections and acupuncture- Hydrocortisone injections have been used to treat joint pains, and acupuncture also helps heal the pain.
If the patient has tried all the conservative methods to treat joint pain but failed to get any results, their doctor may recommend surgery.
When Is Surgery Essential?
If the pain gets progressively worse and the mobility is getting impaired, none of these is getting better with non-surgical options. In such cases, doctors advise surgery for the knee joint.
Imaging the knee joint helps the doctor understand the situation, and if the condition is not reversible with other options, then surgery is required.
A doctor may advise the right option after examining the joint and the outcomes of the surgery.
What Happens If Surgery Is Performed?
Not having surgery can lead to severe complications. Some patients do accept the idea of surgery and look out for other options. However, this can lead to:
- Muscles and ligaments can become weak.
- It becomes hard even to walk or drive a car.
- Overall health decline.
- Reduced mobility can lead to sadness and depression.
- Complications that would require surgery in the future.
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