You may need joint replacement if you have a condition that can’t heal without surgical intervention. In addition, you may opt for surgery if you have pain that isn’t responding to other treatments.

Physical therapy, medication, and joint injections can often bring long-term relief. However, if you’ve tried these and other nonsurgical options, but your condition isn’t improving, the team can go over your options for joint replacement.

The conditions that most often require joint replacement include:
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Shoulder
Arthritis takes many forms, but the one that’s most likely to result in surgery is osteoarthritis, a wear-and-tear condition that arises after decades of joint use. The bones in your shoulders may lose the protective layer of cartilage which means they create friction, pain and inflammation. The result is painful, swollen, stiff shoulders that get progressively weaker. While nonsurgical treatments may successfully manage your symptoms for a long time, eventually, the damage may become too great. At this point, you may benefit from anatomic or reverse total shoulder replacement.
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Hip
Many people who suffer from conditions like osteoarthritis may also consider joint replacement for their hip. While osteoarthritis is the most common reason for severe hip joint deterioration, other conditions like fractures may also lead to serious hip joint damage.  Dr. Carr utilizes minimally invasive and muscle sparing approaches in all hip replacements where possible including the direct anterior approach.

Knee
Many patients experience significant pain and deformity in their knees as a result of osteoarthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis is an even more destructive disease for the knee joints. When their symptoms start impacting daily activities or require regular pain medications to manage their symptoms, knee replacement can be a reliable solution. The vast majority of Dr. Carr’s joint replacement patients are discharged on the day of surgery.

After joint replacement, you can rest in a recovery area for a few hours or you might stay in a hospital overnight. That being said, the vast majority of our patients return home the day of surgery.

Take all medications as directed, attend follow-up visits, get plenty of rest, and ice the affected area to reduce swelling. Your surgeon will also let you know when to begin physical therapy to aid in your recovery.

Complete recovery may take several months, but your new joint can last 20 years or longer with proper care.