According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the term arthritis refers to over 100 conditions that affect the joints. Generally, arthritis is characterized by pain, inflammation, or swelling of a joint, surrounding, and other connective tissues.
Typical arthritis treatments include anti-inflammatory drugs, physical or occupational therapy, assistive aids, and remedies without medication. If these treatments do not work, surgery might be recommended to help remediate the damaged joint, decrease pain, and improve joint functionality.
Arthritis surgery benefits include:
- Minimizing joint pain
- Increasing joint functionality
- Reducing future joint damage
- Lowering the patient’s use of medications
- Increasing mobility
- Improving daily activities
- Bettering quality of life
- Avoiding more intensive future surgeries
Some different types of arthritis surgery are:
- Joint Resurfacing: replacing part of a damaged joint with an implant
- Arthroscopy: fixing tiny tears within the joint’s soft tissue
- Synovectomy: removing most – or all – of the inflamed joint tissue lining
- Osteotomy: cutting off a piece of bone or adding a wedge near a damaged joint
- Arthrodesis aka Fusion: joining two or more bones using pins, plates, or rods
- Total Joint Replacement aka Arthroplasty: removing sections of damaged joints, replacing them with a metal, plastic, or ceramic prosthesis
- Joint revision: replacing an old, damaged joint implant and replacing with a new one
The complications associated with arthritis surgery include:
- Pain
- Infection
- Blood clots
- Nerve damage
- Joint stiffness
- Reduced healing time
Do you experience pain or arthritis in your hands or wrists? Contact the Michigan Hand & Wrist experts to receive a consultation and get relief today.
Michigan Hand & Wrist was founded in 2001 with the mission to provide the highest-quality care for patients seeking surgical or non-surgical hand or upper extremity relief. Our goal is to exhaust all non-operative measures before discussing or moving on to surgical interventions. We offer on-site physical therapy from therapists committed to improving your quality of life. Our individualized treatments are modern, progressive, and exceptional. Contact us today at www.michiganhandandwrist.com or call 248-596-0412.
Written by the digital marketing team at Creative Programs & Systems: www.cpsmi.com.