Who Should See a Hip Replacement Doctor Baltimore?

In some Eastern religions, such as Buddhism, it is a given that suffering, pain, and misery exist in life.  As a counter-balance to that obvious truth, many people spend their entire working lives trying to reduce or eliminate individual cases of pain and suffering whenever possible.  One of the questions that comes up frequently in this context is how far to go to eliminate what kind of suffering.  Additionally, when do the benefits of using an intervention that carries its own portion of pain and suffering outweigh the distress of the current diagnosis or condition?  For patients living with chronic hip pain from injuries or degenerative bone diseases, the answers are very individual and can only be found in consultation with a hip replacement doctor Baltimore.

Who is a Good Candidate for a Total Hip Replacement Baltimore?

• Generally speaking, a hip replacement procedure Baltimore can be a good fit for many different kinds of patients.  Over a million of these operations are performed every year, worldwide.  Less than 1% of hip replacement patients experience anything close to life-threatening complications.
• Individuals suffering from traumatic injuries to the hip joint are often good candidates for replacement of that joint.  While it is possible to put an otherwise healthy person with a broken hip in a large body cast and keep them immobile while the fracture heals, simply replacing the broken joint will have them back on their feet in a matter of days instead of months.
• Those who suffer from degenerative bone diseases like osteoarthritis often seek out hip joint replacements.  The vast majority of these patients return to their previous activities with no or much less pain within two to three months of surgery.  Some even find that they are able to take up new hobbies like hiking or golf that had been impossible before their hip replacement.
• While not all individuals will be good candidates for this surgery, anyone who has tried less invasive treatments like medications or exercise physiology deserves the opportunity to consult with a specialist surgeon about a hip joint replacement.  The quality of life improvement could be vast.

Choosing a Knee Replacement Doctor Baltimore

Orthopedic surgeries are very safe today.  Having a knee replaced may be the safest of all of these types of surgeries.  This does not, however, mean that patients should skip steps that will contribute to the best possible outcomes when choosing a knee replacement doctor Baltimore.

What to Look for When Choosing a Knee Replacement Surgery Doctor

• All orthopedic surgeons go through a massive amount of training and certification before they are allowed to practice independently.  It is easy to check a surgeon’s academic and licensing credentials.  This should be the first step when looking for a new doctor in any specialty.
• Choosing a facility and a knee replacement procedure doctor Baltimore MD (https://www.medstarunionortho.org) that have a unit completely dedicated to only knee surgery will immediately decrease the risk of complications.  A dedicated facility means that there is some space in the facility used only for knee replacement operations, and the orthopedic surgeons who work in this space perform only that procedure.
• If a patient is going to find out only a few facts about their potential surgeon, the amount of experience the doctor has should be at the top of the list.  Complication rates for knee surgery are directly correlated to the inexperience of the surgeon in many sets of data that have been examined.  The most prevalent complications for these surgical cases have been found to be pneumonia during early recovery, pulmonary embolism, heart attack and deep infection.
• Finding out about the doctor’s patient satisfaction ratings can also be very helpful.  While these numbers are not as scientific as those generated by formal studies, an average of 85% of patients are very satisfied with their outcomes in terms of decreasing pain and improving mobility.  It should be a red flag if a surgeon’s satisfaction rate is much lower than the national average.
• Finally, having unrealistic expectations for the surgery can be problematic for some patients.  Learning a bit about what to expect before, during and after the operation will help with this issue.  No matter how good at their job a doctor might be,  they are not going to perform miracles like eliminating all post-operative pain.

Spinal Stenosis: Procedure for Severe Back Pain Baltimore MD

There are many conditions that can cause back pain in both children and adults.  Chronic pain in the back and other parts of the body does, however, become more common as people age.  It is one of the major causes of lost productivity across many industries, and sufferers will be quick to point out it also impacts their leisure time negatively.  Fortunately, there are many wonderful facilities and professionals available throughout the United States who specialize in a procedure for severe back pain Baltimore MD.

Treating Severe Back Pain from Spinal Stenosis Baltimore

Spinal stenosis is a condition that is frequently responsible for pain in the lower back area, and sometimes also the lower extremities.  It is most commonly caused by the normal aging process, which can include narrowing of the spinal canal.  If it becomes too narrow, there can be too much pressure on the spinal cord, which is a part of the central nervous system.  Spinal stenosis is sometimes also caused by birth defects or some forms of arthritis.  While non-surgical procedures are always tried before more invasive interventions, there are two surgical procedures that can help with this condition.

• The lumbar laminectomy is a procedure for severe back pain Baltimore https://www.medstarunionortho.org that works by removing the back side of the spinal canal in the lower back area.  It is called a lumbar laminectomy because “lumbar” means lower and “lamina” is the medical name for the back surface of the bony part of the spinal column.  By removing a this part of the canal, the spinal cord has more room and the constriction that is causing difficulty for the patient may be eased.
• Posterior lumbar fusion is another surgical procedure that is sometimes used in cases of spinal stenosis.  During this operation, the surgeon will attempt to fuse together two or more vertebrae (the small bones that make up the spinal column) into one single piece of bone using organic grafting material.  This provides stability in the lower spine, eliminating movement that can constrict the spinal column or the large nerves that are directly attached to it.  Patients are often surprised by how much movement remains in their spines even after a lumbar fusion.