Your hip is a ball-and-socket joint, and it has a protective cartilage cushioning to allow for smooth movement of the joint. Synovial fluid lubricates the cartilage to reduce friction during movement. If your cartilage becomes thin due to normal wear-and-tear or if the synovial fluid dries up, you will experience pain and stiffness in the hip – which limits your range of motion and mobility.
Osteoarthritis, which is often just called “arthritis” because it is the most common type of arthritis, occurs due to thinning cartilage from overuse of the joint. The bones then begin to rub against each other in the joint without the protective cartilage cushioning, and this causes pain which can become worse and worse. This can happen to athletes as well as to people as we get older.
While conservative treatment methods can provide relief in the early stages of hip arthritis, the time may come when the doctor recommends hip replacement surgery. Let’s talk about some of the main symptoms of hip problems and who can help you get back to your active lifestyle again.
Why Would I Need Hip Surgery?
If pain-relief medicine and physical therapy do not work anymore to relieve the following hip issues, your orthopedist may recommend hip replacement surgery:
Severe Hip Pain
When your hip pain becomes severe and is no longer responding to anti-inflammatory medicine, steroids, nerve blocks, or physical therapy, then lasting relief may only be achieved through hip surgery.
Pain When Walking
One of the most common reasons for not being able to walk around comfortably is hip pain. If you cannot make the trip to your car, to the mailbox, or up and down the stairs without being in terrible pain, then hip replacement surgery may be your only option in being able to perform these normal daily activities again.
Pain When Exercising
Exercise is an important part of maintaining healthy hip joints. It also triggers the release of your body’s natural chemicals that make you feel good physically and keep pain to a minimum. But if you feel hip pain or soreness whenever you move and exercise, the condition may have reached the point that requires hip surgery.
Pain that Prevents a Restful Sleep
If your chronic hip pain prevents you from getting comfortable and falling asleep at night despite all the methods of pain relief recommended by your doctor, this pain is likely a sign of advanced-stage osteoarthritis. Sleep is important to your brain health and overall health, so a constant lack of sleep can wreak havoc on your mind and body.
Hip Replacement Surgery in Naples, FL
If your hip problem is preventing you from living a normal life, our orthopedic team at the Joint Replacement Institute can help. We will provide an evaluation of your condition and recommend the appropriate hip treatment that works for you.
To schedule a consultation, call the Joint Replacement Institute today at (239) 261-2663 or request an appointment now by filling out our online form. We look forward to helping you enjoy a more pain-free lifestyle once again!
