Tuesday, January 31, 2012

What is joint replacement?

Painful joints can affect a person's daily activities. If your injured joint no longer respond to arthroscopic surgery, physical therapy, bracing, exercise, and medications... it is probably about time to consult your local Asheboro orthopedic surgeon about joint replacement surgery.

Joint replacement surgery is a procedure done on older patients with arthritis. During surgery, the damaged joint (or parts of the joint) is removed and replaced with a metal or plastic joint that perfectly matches the patient's. The decision to replace the whole joint or just parts of it depends on your orthopedic surgeon's analysis of the extent of your injury, your age and health condition, and usual activities. The procedure will take about two hours.

After the surgery, patients are required to stay in the hospital for observation. Hospital release will depend on the assessment of your orthopedic surgeon, physical therapist, and other healthcare providers.

Are you suffering from painful joints? Talk to your local Asheboro orthopedic surgeon about possible treatments and ask if you are qualified for joint replacement surgery.

What is joint replacement?

Painful joints can affect a person's daily activities. If your injured joint no longer respond to arthroscopic surgery, physical therapy, bracing, exercise, and medications... it is probably about time to consult your local Asheboro orthopedic surgeon about joint replacement surgery.

Joint replacement surgery is a procedure done on older patients with arthritis. During surgery, the damaged joint (or parts of the joint) is removed and replaced with a metal or plastic joint that perfectly matches the patient's. The decision to replace the whole joint or just parts of it depends on your orthopedic surgeon's analysis of the extent of your injury, your age and health condition, and usual activities. The procedure will take about two hours.

After the surgery, patients are required to stay in the hospital for observation. Hospital release will depend on the assessment of your orthopedic surgeon, physical therapist, and other healthcare providers.

Are you suffering from painful joints? Talk to your local Asheboro orthopedic surgeon about possible treatments and ask if you are qualified for joint replacement surgery.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Say goodbye to knee pain

A lot of people experience knee pain due to many causes. And, most of the time, knee pain can be dealt with non-surgically through the RICE (Rest-Ice-Compress-Elevate) protocol, physical therapy, medication, and rehabilitation. However, more severe cases may need knee surgery.

The best way for orthopedic doctors to diagnose and treat knee pain is through knee arthroscopy. In this procedure, a small camera is inserted through a small incision in the knee. This allows them to view the damage clearly as well as fix it. This is a minimally invasive procedure, which is why patients are allowed to go home after as long as they take extra care and the right medication.

For more serious cases, though, orthopedic surgeons may recommend knee surgery. Knee arthoplasty or knee replacement can free a patient from chronic knee pain for about twenty years. This procedure is accomplished without cutting the quadriceps muscles.

Unless you visit your local Asheboro orthopedic surgeon, you will never know which treatment is best in curing your knee pain. Schedule an appointment now and live a pain-free life!

Monday, January 23, 2012

ACL Tears and Treatment

The anterior cruciate ligament is a key mechanism that stabilizes the knee. If torn, the knee will lose stability. Later on, this will lead to damage on the knee ligament and knee joint, which will need knee replacement to fix.

ACL sprains and tears usually happen to active persons between the age of 15 to 25. The injury often occurs in sports such as basketball due to landing from a high jump, sudden changes in direction, and quickly stopping from a sprint.

The most common signs of ACL sprains and tears include a popping sound while walking or moving the knee in general, pain, and swelling. Most of the time, this can be treated non-surgically through resting, icing, compression, and elevation. If the ACL is torn, however, ACL surgery will have to be done.

Anatomic ACL reconstruction surgery is a new procedure that is not widely offered by orthopedic surgeons. In this procedure, a patient may choose to get tissue from another part of his/her body or choose to make use of donor tissue to replace the torn ACL. This will help the injury heal faster and perform better in the future.

Dr. Christian Yaste is one of the few orthopedic surgeons that offer ACL reconstruction.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

What is a sports medicine doctor?

Sports medicine is a field under orthopedics that focuses on sports-related injuries as well as the prevention of such injuries. If a person is active in sports, it is very likely for that person to acquire injuries while playing. The most common injuries are due to the overuse and/or an accident that affects the joints, muscles, ligaments, and tendons.

When such injuries happen, the best doctor to go to is an orthopedic doctor that specializes in sports medicine. Sports medicine doctors went through additional training that will help them diagnose, treat, and prevent injuries from sports. They recommend a specific rehabilitation program for their patients, which will help the injured area regain normal function and strength. They can also recommend a training program that can help athletes prevent injuries in the future.

If you are active in sports, it is best to work closely with an Asheboro sports medicine doctor that can give you a unique training program to avoid injuries. Having a sports medicine doctor close by will also save you from further injuries in case you acquire a injury while playing.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Don't let shoulder pain control you!

The shoulder joint allows a person to move freely in wide and agile motions. However, when shoulder pain strikes, free movement becomes impossible and muscle spasms and soreness occurs. Because of the pain and its effects on the body, people with shoulder pain stop doing their common activities to avoid the pain. Some people just use the other arm for tasks, which adds to the injury since the muscles of the injured arm become weak without exercise.

What, then, should a person do to deal with shoulder pain? The first thing that should be done is try the RICE protocol - Rest, Ice, Compress, Elevate. This will ease pain, stop swelling, and most likely avoid more injury to the shoulder. If this does not work within 48 hours, it is best to go to an orthopedic doctor.

Orthopedic doctors usually recommend physical therapy, immobilization, or a change in activities first. If these do not help in pain management, then the best option may be shoulder surgery.

If you are suffering from shoulder pain, visit your local Asheboro orthopedic doctor for diagnosis and proper treatment. Your doctor will help you manage pain and teach you how to avoid shoulder injury.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Give your orthopedic surgeon a break!

Orthopedic surgery is a life-changer to many people who have been suffering from various orthopedic injuries. However skilled an orthopedic surgeon is, though, surgery can still cause huge trauma to a patient's body. This is one reason why orthopedic surgeons prefer to prescribe non-surgical treatments if possible before making their patients undergo orthopedic surgery.

Non-surgical treatments work to many patients. However, there are instances when orthopedic surgery is a necessary action. If your orthopedic surgeon tells you that you will need to go through surgery, be sure to prepare your body for it. One good way of preparing yourself is to keep yourself healthy. That is, eat plenty of nutritional foods, drink a lot of water, and get enough rest. By doing these, you are getting your body ready to go through the surgery and the healing process after.

For more information on injuries and orthopedic surgery, talk to your Asheboro orthopedic surgeon.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Why is hip replacement the best option for you?

Is your hip pain becoming a huge problem? If you are suffering from severe hip pain and you no longer respond to medications, perhaps total hip replacement surgery is the best option for you. Orthopedic surgeons usually recommend this surgery to patients who suffer from hip pain that do not respond to medicine anymore. A patient must have generally good health and should not be employed in a labor-heavy job to undergo such a surgery.

In this procedure, the damaged cartilage will be replaced with a new joint material or the upper end of the thigh bone will be replaced by a metal bone. After the surgery, expect to be given antibiotics to avoid any infections. You will also be taught various exercises to help you regain function and strength. In time, you will be able to go back to your normal day-to-day activities without any pain in the hips!

If you are interested, visit your local Asheboro orthopedic surgeon and have your hips checked. Your doctor will then recommend the best treatment for you - may it be non-surgical or total hip replacement.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Consult an Orthopedic Doctor About Tendonitis

Tendonitis is when tendons become irritated due to repetitive usage of one part of the body. This is commonly seen in the heel, wrist, elbow, and shoulder.

Most cases can be easily treated with a home remedy called RICE - or Rest, Ice, Compress, and Elevate. This usually does the job in a few hours. However, if pain is still felt in the area, then going to an orthopedic doctor is a must. Your orthopedic doctor will check for tenderness in the area since that indicates injury. You can also help your doctor by pointing to the painful part. Once this is done, your doctor will give you medication and recommend exercises to improve the affected area.

It is important to go to an orthopedic doctor in Asheboro if your tendonitis is getting worse because in some cases, tendonitis leads to a torn tendon, which may require surgical repair or a longer rehabilitation period. Avoid this injury by cross-training, doing lighter exercises when pain is felt, and by consulting a doctor right away.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Knee Arthroscopy - One of the Most Common Knee Procedures

Knee arthroscopy is a minimally invasive surgical knee procedure. It makes use of a small fiber optic camera that is inserted through a small incision to give orthopedic surgeons a good view of the injury from the inside. This is a highly effective procedure due to the high-resolution cameras and high-definition monitors.

Before going through this surgery, there are things patients should do. First, it is important to pay your orthopedic surgeon a visit for a physical. It is also during this visit that you can discuss medications that you should not take prior to the surgery. When the day of surgery comes, you will be told not to take in any food or drink for a certain period of time. Once prepared, anesthesia will be induced to numb the knee; after which the surgery will be performed. Since this is a minimally invasive surgery, knee arthroscopy patients can go home after surgery provided that they take medications to control the pain as well as do rehabilitation exercises to bring back knee function and strength.

If your knee is injured, this surgical procedure is one of the best options you can choose. You can talk to an Asheboro orthopedic surgeon about this to discuss the pros and cons with your condition.