Arthritis effects millions of American on a
daily basis. Arthritis typically means
that the ends of the bone have been damaged due
to either a lifetime of wear and tear,
inflammatory conditions, or a minor
mal-alignment of the joint.
Early in the disease, patients
can often live normal lives and perform normal
activities with a moderate amount of
non-operative treatment. Later on in the
disease, many patients find that despite
aggressive non-operative treatment, they are
still unable to perform the activities they
enjoy. A total joint replacement is often
considered in order to decrease or eliminate the
pain so the patient can return to their hobbies.
Arthritis is
typically outlined as one of the following:
- Osteoarthritis
- Inflammatory Arthritis
- Gout
- Rhematoid Arthritis
- Lupus
- Post-Traumatic Arthritis
Unfortunately, once
the joint surfaces of the bones are destroyed,
there are little other options for pain relief
than a joint replacement.
Surgery can
sometimes help delay the onset of some types of
arthritis. Small areas of isolated joint
damage can sometimes be repaired with cartilage
transfers, but this problem is relatively
uncommon. A mal-aligned leg can sometimes
be straightened with surgery to improve the
longevity of the limb. An abnormal socket
of the hip joint can sometimes be rotated with
surgery to prevent hip arthritis.
For additional
details regarding arthritis, please contact the
arthritis
foundation.
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