Painful joints cause discomfort and limit mobility, therefore, affecting the life of a person. Joint inflammation is caused by a variety of factors like the death of bone tissue, a broken bone, dislocated joints, bone cancer, sport-related injuries, sprains, arthritis, and other causes. Management of the joint inflammation might require the services of a joint replacement doctor Georgia.
How will you know that a Joint is inflamed?
Symptoms of inflammation of the joint include sudden pain when the joint is moved or at rest, swelling, weakness, loss of mobility, red skin, and warmth around the joint. Depending on the cause of the joint pain, other symptoms are rash, fever, painful eyes, and mouth sores. Joint pain could involve a single joint, e.g., at the knee, or in multiple joints, i.e., the same joint on both sides. A joint disorder known as migratory arthritis is characterized by shifting pain from one bone to another.
Management of Mild Joint Pain
Not all joint pain necessitates a visit to the doctor. Joint pain that is not severe can be managed at home by taking pain relievers, immobilizing, and resting the joint and applying cold packs on the inflamed area. Soaking the painful joint in warm water increases circulation and relaxes the muscles around the joint.
When to see a doctor
If a joint is warm, swollen, and tender, a medical practitioner should be consulted. Severe pain, inability to use the joint, and distortion of the joint are also signals that one should visit a hospital. The primary care physician will assess the joint and refer the patient to an orthopedic physician for specialized treatment. To relieve the joint’s severe inflammation, the bone specialist may recommend exercise, physiotherapy, weight loss, or prescription medicine. If the pain is due to an existing infection in the body, appropriate drugs are prescribed.
Joint Replacement in Georgia
Sometimes, the damage to the joint is too much that corrective surgery is recommended. In Georgia, a joint replacement doctor will operate on the joint to restore its function. Damaged cartilage or bone is removed and replaced with a restorative implant made of metal or plastic. The most common corrective surgeries on the joints are hip and knee replacement. Other joints like the ankle, wrist, shoulder, and elbow can also be treated using joint replacement.
The surgery helps the patient relieve pain and improve movement, both of which better a person’s quality of life. Surgical operation on the joints should only be considered when all other measures have failed. The patient should weigh his options since the surgery might be expensive. Planning for recovery from the surgery and the physiotherapy follow up is necessary. Both take a significant amount of time during which the person will have limited mobility.
Risks of Joint Replacement
The metal and plastic that make up the replacement components predispose the joint to infection. The prosthesis might get dislocated or break, causing the joint to malfunction. In some cases, nerves around the joint may be damaged during the surgery. Changes in the path of blood flow could lead to the development of blood clots. A joint replacement doctor Georgia should advise you on the possible ways of managing the risks.
To conclude, pain in the joints can be debilitating. It is essential to adopt healthy practices that maintain the bones in good health. Examples of such methods are staying physically active, maintaining healthy body weight, and wearing comfortable shoes. Daily stretches give the body a full range of motion, which keeps the joints lubricated and functional. Wearing shoes with proper arch support helps relieve the joints’ load, thus promoting bone health.
