Signs You May Need a Hip Replacement in Hyderabad

The hip is a ball and socket joint which can help you move in a variety of ways and when it is functioning normally, mobility and quality of life are good or even excellent most of the time. However, when you have to deal with chronic stiffness and pain – due to a traumatic injury or advancing age, on a daily basis, it can negatively impact your daily routine and cause you to feel low or depressed. Hip replacement surgery is often offered as a last resort when all other treatments or approaches have failed. The number of people opting for this procedure is steadily increasing in the Indian subcontinent and it is a good thing too!

What Is Hip Replacement Surgery?

Hip replacement surgery is a procedure where the worn down or damaged parts of the hip joint are surgically removed and then replaced with a prosthesis- which can be made of steel, metal, ceramic or other materials. The hip joint has a ball part – which is the head of the femur or thigh bone and the socket part- which is the acetabulum of the hip bone. The implant itself is composed of different parts-

• A ceramic ball which goes into the femur bone- for improving stability. 
• A titanium cup – which is attached to the pelvic bone, allowing free movement. 

For some individuals, not all the parts of the hip joint are damaged or injured- which is why they can get better with a partial hip replacement surgery. In such cases, the ball part of the hip joint is replaced, while the acetabular socket is retained as such. Hip replacement can be done in different ways- the surgeon can make an incision from the front, side or back – to access the joint and then remove or repair it as needed. 

Signs You May Need A Hip Replacement

Surgery, as mentioned before, is never offered lightly, but is only done after careful consideration, as recovery and physical therapy afterwards need major commitment, time and resources from your end. So, let us look at instances where surgery is necessary-

• When you have chronic pain which interferes with your daily routine.
• Non-surgical options have not been of much help. 
• Your range of motion is severely limited- walking and bending your knee seem very painful or even impossible at times. 
• You have to bear the emotional and physical brunt of not being able to move like before. 
• Pain medications are not working and are in fact causing unwanted side-effects. 

Advantages Of Getting Surgery Done

Getting surgery done can greatly reduce any pain in the future and you can move freely and not feel hindered- as the prosthetic joint can last for about 15-20 years or even longer, if you stick to some rules that your doctor puts forth. But, it is important to remember that hip replacement surgery is a major surgery and recovery takes time. You will need to learn to walk and move slowly, all over again, with a new joint this time around. Physical therapy, following the right technique, resting when your body is not feeling well and not giving up are really crucial- you will also need your friends or family to help out. 

Conclusion– Getting a hip replacement in Hyderabad these days is no longer hard. With advanced prostheses, equipment and improving surgical precision and outcomes, you can definitely look forward to getting better in a few months time. For most people, full recovery never happens immediately- it takes many weeks or even months for you to get back to a semblance of any normalcy. But that is totally okay, as everyone recovers in their own time. After getting hip replacement surgery, you should not drive, sit cross legged, twist your ankles too much or try to pull your knees past the waist. You will have stiffness afterwards, but it will reduce gradually, as you continue to commit to physical therapy for the next few months. Getting surgery can have a long lasting impact on your mental and physical well being and getting timely hip replacement done is as important as getting the procedure itself, as delaying it can cause other unwanted complications, which can impact your long term outcomes.