10 Jun IS IT TIME FOR JOINT
4 Important Warning Signs
Are you suffering from joint pain in silence? If any of the following four warning signs sound familiar, it may be time for a replacement. Not only can joint replacement surgery bring about relief, it can get you back doing the things you love most in life.
WARNING #1:
You can’t make it through the grocery store without taking a break. And it’s not just the grocery store. If you can’t walk around the neighborhood or play with your grandkids without taking frequent breaks, it’s probably time for joint replacement surgery, says Daniel Weglein, M.D., an orthopedic surgeon on staff at Baylor Medical Center at McKinney.
“It’s a quality of life decision,” he says. “Joint replacement is typically life-changing.”
WARNING #2:
You can’t do the things you love. Not being able to do some of your favorite daily activities may be a sign that something needs to be done. Have you stopped taking your dog on afternoon walks? Don’t travel with your spouse as much as you used to? Then it’s time to make an appointment with the doctor.
WARNING #3:
You’re unable to get a good night’s rest because of your joints. Maybe it’s the pain keeping you up, or that you can’t get into a comfortable position. “If every time you roll over you feel the bones grind together, you’re going to wake up,” Dr. Weglein says. If you can’t sleep and are tired all the time, don’t let the pain – or the thought of surgery – keep you from getting your Zzz’s.
“Joint replacement surgery is one of the most successful procedures being done,” Dr. Weglein says. “It’s very common. There’s nothing I do that helps people more.” In fact, more than 1 million hip and knee replacements were completed in 2010, reports the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
WARNING #4:
You’ve tried everything else and you are still in pain. “Joint replacement is always
the last resort,” Dr. Weglein says. Your doctor may suggest home exercises, a physical therapy program, medications or injections first. If none of these treatments work, joint replacement may be the next step.
More than Just Joint Pain
Still on the fence? Consider what your quality of life will be if you don’t do it. “If you lose the ability to walk, your overall health tends to decline,” Dr. Weglein explains.
Plus if you choose a hospital that uses minimally invasive techniques and advanced pain control methods, you’re more likely to have a faster recovery and fewer complications. “We see some patients up and walking the same day of the surgery,” Dr. Weglein adds. “It turns someone who can barely walk into a person who can live their life again.”
Learn More about
Joint Replacement online at
B a y l o r H e a l t h . c o m / o r t h o For a referral to an
orthopedic surgeon on the
medical staff at Baylor McKinney,
call 1.800.4BAYLOR.