When arthritis knee or hip pain severely limits your ability to walk, work or perform even simple activities, knee or hip replacement should be considered.

Knee or hip replacement is only recommended after careful diagnosis of your joint problem. Arthroscopic or microscopic surgery is not helpful once arthritis is advanced. Also, it is not likely that anti-inflammatory drugs or cortisone injections will give you the same long-term relief as either knee or hip replacement.

Cement has been used for both knee and hip replacement for over 15 years with generally excellent results and predictable durability. Surgeons at The Florida Knee and Orthopedic Centers consider a cemented implant more reliable for long-lasting pain relief.

Recovery varies with each person. You will use a walker for four weeks after the operation. You can drive a car in 2-4 weeks. Most people gradually increase their activities and can slow dance in 6-8 weeks, and play golf, doubles tennis, shuffleboard, or bowl in 12 weeks. More active sports, such as singles tennis and jogging, are not recommended. After discharge, there is usually no need for a nursing home or live-in companion. Some patients who live alone like the convenience of staying at a rehab center for a few days after they leave the hospital. Keep in mind that healing and recovery times vary with each person.

The risk of transmissible disease, such as AIDS or hepatitis, is almost non-existent. The health care industry has moved away from recommending blood be "pre-deposited" before surgery

Both knee and hip replacement are recognized as miracles of modern surgery. Most orthopedic experts consider replacement to be the best method of handling advanced arthritis in the knee or hip. Joint replacements have literally put hundreds of thousands of disabled Americans back on their feet and allowed them to enjoy their golden years.

As with any surgery, there is a risk of complications but complications after knee or hip replacement are rare . driving on an Interstate highway is probably more dangerous. To fight infection, we use ultraviolet light in the operating room and the most powerful antibiotics known to control the environment. Our personnel are limited to fully trained and experienced nurses and technicians

Thanks to advances in medication technology, we are able to keep you very comfortable after surgery. Best of all, you won't have the groggy, 'not-in-control' feeling associated with narcotics. Any temporary discomfort does not compare to the pain of arthritis endured by most people in the months before surgery. And because knee replacement or hip replacement is "no big deal", you will wear casual clothing, not hospital gowns, while you are in the hospital. You'll also visit The Florida Room just down the hall from your own room where you will join other knee or ship replacement patients for buffet lunches, television, cards and games.

The primary symptom is a gradual onset of pain the back or neck. The pain is the result of irritated nerve endings in the damaged areas. Frequently, stiffness occurs and certain positions increase the pain. The muscles overlying the arthritic areas often become tight and painful, further complicating the problem. As the arthritis progresses, sensitive spinal nerves become "pinched" by arthritis bone spurs or become irritated by inflammation. Pain felt in the legs, coming from an irritated spinal nerve, is called sciatica.

It is always important to treat the underlying problem. Although arthritis can involve the entire spine, the specific area causing pain must be treated. To pinpoint the cause of pain, the doctor may use x-rays and an extensive physical examination. If a pinched nerve or spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spinal canal as a result of arthritis) is suspected, special scans such as CT or MRI are useful to see the internal structure of the spine. EMG (electromyogram) and nerve conduction studies will check the function of your spinal nerves. Several treatments are available, depending on which areas are contributing to your pain.
Anti-inflammatory medicines, facet injections, nerve root injections (blocks), or an Epidural Steroid Injection (ESI) can ease pain and inflammation. Once the pain cycle is controlled, a physical therapy program is very helpful to prevent recurrent episodes.

A cortisone-like drug is placed into the affected area or facet joint. These cortisone compounds are potent anti-inflammatory agents that deliver medication directly to the area of inflammation. Dramatic and sometimes permanent relief of symptoms is usually the result. A local anesthetic is used to numb the area and there is relatively little discomfort. An injection is done by your doctor in about the same time it takes for a routine office visit. After an injection, most people can expect and immediate (same day) return to their usual activities.

Injections play an important therapeutic and diagnostic role in treating Osteoarthritis of the spine. Cortisone compounds control pain and reduce inflammation so that normal activities can be resumed and active physical therapy can be started. Specific injections also help locate the exact region that may be causing the primary problem. Often, there are numerous painful areas in the back of neck and most are secondary to the primary irritated area of the spine. Only by identifying and treating the primary problem will the secondary painful areas be relieved. At that point, a specific program is developed to treat the problem.

Poor posture and improper body mechanics (the way you move your body) often lead to pain episodes of arthritis. A balanced program of physical therapy and exercises will strengthen and stretch the muscles that support your back.

Your doctor may order one or more special tests to help confirm your diagnosis, rule out other problems and pinpoint the source of your spine pain.
X-rays show the general condition of your vertebrae (bones) and are very helpful in determining the cause of pain. Although x-rays cannot reveal a ruptured disc, for instance, they may reveal a narrowed disc space which can be an indication of trouble in that area of the spine.

MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) and CTs (computerized tomography) produce detailed computer images of soft tissues and bones. MRIs are especially beneficial for the study of soft-tissue abnormalities such as disc degeneration, protrusion or rupture. CT scans give a cross-section view of the spine and can show a bulging or ruptured disc.

EMGs (electromyography) measure the electrical activity of your muscles' contractions. They detect nerve or muscle irritation and damage. Bone scans can reveal abnormal bone activity.