Gilbert Lowe offers the following royalty-free article for you to publish online or in print. Feel free to use this article in your newsletter, website, ezine, blog, or forum. ----------- PUBLICATION GUIDELINES - You have permission to publish this article for free providing the "About the Author" box is included in its entirety. - Do not post/reprint this article in any site or publication that contains hate, violence, porn, warez, or supports illegal activity. - Do not use this article in violation of the US CAN-SPAM Act. If sent by email, this article must be delivered to opt-in subscribers only. - If you publish this article in a format that supports linking, please ensure that all URLs and email addresses are active links. - Please send a copy of the publication, or an email indicating the URL to [email protected] - Article Marketer (www.ArticleMarketer.com) has distributed this article on behalf of the author. Article Marketer does not own this article, please respect the author's copyright and publication guidelines. If you do not agree to these terms, please do not use this article. ----------- Article Title: When Osteoarthritis Surgery is Necessary Author: Gilbert Lowe Category: Diseases and Conditions Word Count: 494 Keywords: osteoarthritis surgery, joint replacement, joint fusion Author's Email Address: [email protected] Article Source: http://www.articlemarketer.com ------------------ ARTICLE START ------------------
With age, most people lose some or all of the cartilage between the bones of at least one joint. The painful culprits are generally the fingers, hips, or knees. If caught early enough, the progression of the disease can at least be slowed, if not stopped altogether. However, if the mobility and pain become an issue that renders evenself-care impossible, that is when osteoarthritis surgery is necessary. The key is to not wait until the pain and discomfort of the disease becomes unbearable. If caught in the earlier stages, osteoarthritis surgery does not have to be the only option available. If patients have suffered a constant pain for at least two weeks, which can only be relieved by taking medication, it is time to see a physician. Why wait until it has made everyday living almost impossible? However, after living with the disease for some time, more aggressive procedures simply become the only means of not ending up in a rest home, or depending on a loved one for everything. No one wants to go there, for sure! When that time comes, patients still have more than one option for osteoarthritis surgery. A good doctor will explain the procedures available: * Joint Replacement * Debridement * Realignment * Fusion Of course, the surgical recommendation will depend on the damage to the joint, the joint involved, and mobility issues. Probably the most common invasive treatment is simply replacing the offending joint. Thanks to medical advances, patients have knees, hips and even shoulders replaced all of the time. With physical therapy and healing time, the pain is gone and many normal activities can be resumed. Debridement is basically cleaning up the joint. If the cartilage has been torn, or bone fragments are causing pain, the doctor can sometimes alleviate the pain by getting rid of the offending particles. Realignment of a joint can also change the pressure points and the adverse effect of weight on the bones during movement. By adjusting how the bones rest and work together, the wear and tear on the cartilage can also be relieved. The most common is probably related to the vertebrae. The vertebrae can also be fused together to relieve the pain of two bones rubbing together, without the benefit of cartilage in between the joints. An individual can learn to live with fused joints and vertebrae. Even if the pain is in the neck region, it is possible to learn how to live with turning the torso rather than being in constant pain. In truth, osteoarthritis surgery is generally the last resort. If pain and mobility issues can be managed any other way, the doctor will not recommend such a drastic measure. However, if the time comes that self-care and the chronic pain becomes a problem, there may be no other choice. Fortunately, the procedures are becoming quite common and many people can resume normal activities they may not have enjoyed for quite some time. Gilbert Lowe has been dealing with arthritis for more than 40 years. You can see how he conquered osteoarthritis pain at http://www.osteoarthritis-conquered.com ------------------ ARTICLE END ------------------ [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
