Knee replacement: Life changing or a disappointment?

While there are more than 100 types of arthritis, osteoarthritis is by far the most common. It’s the age-related, “wear-and-tear” type of arthritis that affects almost everyone fortunate enough to live a long life, affecting up to 80% of older adults. Fortunately, symptoms may be mild. But for those in whom symptoms are severe, treatment can make a big difference. So what can be done for osteoarthritis? The available treatments for osteoarthritis include: Non-medication approaches, such as physical therapy, loss of excess weight, or use of braces or a cane Complementary and alternative treatments, such as acupuncture, massage, or tai chi Medications, such as pain relievers, anti-inflammatory medications, or cortisone injections Surgery, such as knee or hip replacement. Surgery is usually a last resort. But for severe osteoarthritis, it’s often the only option likely to make much difference. In the United States alone, more than 600,000 knee replacements and 300,000 hip replacements are performed each year; and predictions are that these numbers will rise dramatically in the coming decades. And just how good is joint-replacement surgery? Most articles about joint replacement surgery (and the surgeons who perform them) make statements such as: “The vast majority of patients who have their knees replaced are markedly improved” or “More than 80% of people who have their hip replaced are glad they had it done.” While these statements are generally quite true, the...
Source: New Harvard Health Information - Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Tags: Arthritis Health Healthy Aging Managing your health care Osteoarthritis Pain Management Surgery Source Type: news