The number of hip replacement surgeries performed on patients aged 45 and over has increased over the last ten years. In 2010, more than three hundred thousand middle-aged people required hip replacements. More than one million people go through this routine surgery every year all around the world because it provides pain relief when other treatments fail.

What is hip replacement surgery?

Total hip replacement is performed on the head and socket of the femur. Replacing these parts helps restore functionality and mobility in the hips and is one of the safest surgeries in medicine. It can provide pain relief for patients with inflammatory arthritis and osteoarthritis.

What is the replacement surgery process?

First, your doctor will diagnosis the extent of the joint’s damage using X-ray or MRI. He’ll be looking for changes in the joint’s size and shape as well as for inflammation or swelling on the outside. He may conduct some physical tests to help determine the cause of the pain.

Prevalence of hip replacement surgery

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, older people have seen a decline in hip replacement surgery while younger people are seeing more.

In a study by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, women are more likely to get hip replacement surgery than men. More than 3 million women are living with knee replacements compared to 1.7 million men. There are more than 1.4 million women with hip replacements and only 1.1 million men.

Speak to a specialist for a conclusive diagnosis, if you experience any of the following signs:

Excessive Pain in Daily Activities

If hip pain from muscle soreness during exercise interferes with your daily activities, it indicates hip arthritis.

If the pain reaches to an extent where it interferes with your daily routine activities, it might be time to consider paying a visit to your doctor. Even using a cane to walk properly and not finding it helpful in alleviating pain, are signs of a bad joint. Climbing the stairs or walking on flat or inclined surfaces can also cause pain to persist.

Sometimes your hip can hurt even if you are motionless and only lying down. This is not normal. If you stop finding relief in pain medication and there is still stiffness in your hip, it’s a sign of a larger problem.

Negative Impact On Mental Health

Excessive pain can cause sleeping patterns to go haywire. Not being able to get enough sleep at night can have a negative impact on your mental health and overall well-being. It disrupts your digestive system as well because your brain is unable to get enough rest to allow other organs to perform their bodily functions.

Joint pain can hinder you from living your life and doing the things you love the most. At Houston Physicians’ Hospital, our experts and specialists can help guide you better to an individualized treatment plan for joint pain at our Orthopedic Center of Excellence. You can contact us for more information.