Are you in pain? Have you tried noninvasive treatments for your hip or knee problem? Are you in good health? If you answered yes to all of these questions, you might be a joint replacement candidate.

Joints are where two or more bones come together. There are different types of joints in your body. Your knee joint, for example, is considered a hinge joint because it helps bend your knee back and forth like the hinge on a door. Your hips and shoulders are ball-and-socket joints because they fit together like a ball in a socket.

Over time, your joints can sustain damage from arthritis, general wear-and-tear, or an injury. Joint replacement surgery removes the damaged or diseased parts and replaces them with brand new artificial ones.

Hip and knee joint replacements are the most common types of joint replacements. At Douglas J. Abeles & Associates, our experienced team, led by fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon Dr. Abeles, shares information that can help you decide if you should consider joint replacement surgery.

First comes conservative therapies

The first step to treating joint pain and mobility problems is over-the-counter or prescription pain relievers and anti-inflammatories. For many people, these medications provide necessary pain relief.

The others can only tolerate pain relief medicine for a short period because of adverse side effects and risk of addiction.

In conjunction with pain medication, physical therapy can help strengthen and improve mobility. Some people can also benefit from a cortisone injection to help reduce inflammation and pain. But injections usually provide only short-term relief.

Other treatment options that can help include ice, rest, heat, and weight loss. Being overweight puts excess pressure on your joints. Losing weight could provide relief.

Is surgery the right treatment?

If you’ve tried these options and are still experiencing pain that interferes with your daily life, the next step is to consider joint replacement therapy. We can help you decide if you are in good enough shape to go through anesthesia, surgery, recovery, and rehabilitation.

Physical therapy and exercise are a vital part of the rehabilitation process. Fortunately, joint replacement surgery has a high success rate.

All surgeries come with risk, but those for joint replacement surgery are not complicated and are easily treated. Total joint replacement surgery is one of the safest and most reliable treatments in medicine and should last for 20 or more years.

Is your knee, hip, shoulder, or elbow in pain? Call our Castro Valley, California, office to make an appointment.