Joint pain can come and go. It can occur after heavy exercise or even prolonged slouching. If the pain doesn’t go away with physical therapy or rest, your best course of action is to seek medical assistance and surgery might be a necessary next step. Our team at 1-800-ASK-GARY® will discuss your symptoms and guide you towards medical professionals who can help you. Our preferred medical professional will also tackle the different types of joint pain surgery you might need.
Is It Time for Joint Pain Surgery? Check These Symptoms
When you have joint pain, your joints feel stiff, sore, or inflamed. These can affect your shoulders, knees, hips, and spine. For older people, arthritis could be the leading cause of joint pain. However, injuries from car accidents, slips and falls, and extreme sports are usually the main reasons. These incidents can damage your bones, ligaments, and muscles, leading to severe joint pain.
Types of Joint Pain You May Experience
Joint pain varies depending on what caused it. For example, if you have a sacroiliac joint dysfunction, you will experience pain in the lower back, upper leg, or hip. This happens if the sacroiliac joint (SI joint)—which links the pelvis and the lower spine—is damaged.
Aside from SI joint dysfunction, you might also experience spinal pain or back stiffness if your facet joints are wearing off or damaged. These small joints are the ones connecting the bones of the spine. Other types of joint discomfort that you may experience can include knee and shoulder pain, typically caused by injuries or arthritis.
Symptoms Joint Surgery Might Be Needed
If your joint problems become too severe for daily activities and medication or physician therapy is not improving your pain, consider having joint surgery. If you’re experiencing some of these severe symptoms, then it might be time to ask your doctor about joint surgery options.
- Pain in the joint is persistent despite getting enough rest or treatment.
- Moving your joint is very difficult and causes severe pain.
- Joint inflammation causes swelling and redness that doesn’t go away no matter what you do.
- Medical imaging shows that there’s severe joint damage or arthritis.
These symptoms are just among the signs that could indicate the need for joint surgery. But you still need to get advice from your trusted doctor before making decisions.
Which Joint Surgeries Can Help You?
The joint surgery you’ll need to feel better depends on what condition you’re suffering from. Different joint surgeries target specific joints based on the cause of the pain and the intensity.
Facet Joint Surgery
Doctors recommend Facet joint injections if spinal joints affected by injuries or arthritis aren’t getting better with standard treatments. This is when the doctor inserts a thin needle with local anesthetic and steroid medication to temporarily relieve pain and inflammation in the problem areas. However, they are only temporary solutions. Facet joint injections last anywhere from a few days to a few months, depending on the patient. In severe cases, you’ll need facet joint surgery. This procedure involves removing some or all of the facet joints and replacing them with artificial ones.
Sacroiliac Joint Surgery
Just like facet joint pain, healthcare professionals will first advise receiving sacroiliac, or SI joint injections for short-term relief. This will be part of your SI joint pain management plan with your doctors. However, if your pain persists, you’ll need to undergo sacroiliac joint surgery. SI joint surgery can involve minimally invasive fusion to stabilize the joint and ease the pain symptoms. In severe cases, an open surgery is needed to ensure successful sacroiliac joint pain management.
Spinal Fusion
For severe back pain relief, surgery such as a spinal fusion, may be necessary. This surgical procedure involves permanently connecting two or more vertebrae to stabilize the spine. Doctors recommend this if the joints are severely damaged and need to make the spine more stable.
Arthroscopy
Arthroscopy is typically used to diagnose and surgically treat joint conditions, like knee or shoulder pain. Unlike open surgeries, Arthroscopy can reduce recovery time to as little as a few weeks.
Joint Replacement
A serious injury or arthritis can cause joints to wear down. When this happens, a partial or full replacement might be needed. Joint replacement surgery can dramatically improve mobility and reduce pain. Some of the joints that are replaced in this surgery include the knee, shoulder, and hip joints.
Need Help With Joint Pain? Call 1-800-ASK-GARY® Today!
If you have joint pain due to an accident or injury, call 1-800-ASK-GARY®. We will connect you with trusted medical providers that will listen to your concerns and needs. Our team can also help you with other medical issues or legal concerns. We will carefully listen to all of your concerns and needs.
Get Medical Assistance for Your Joint Pain
Our free helpline is available 24/7 to ensure you get the assistance you need. If you need medical care, the ASK GARY team will listen to your story and match you with licensed doctors specializing in orthopedics, back pain relief, and surgical care. Whether you need surgery or regular treatment for joint pain, we can find the right medical professional.
Get Legal Help for Your Injuries
If someone else is responsible for your joint injuries, then you’ll need legal assistance. 1-800-ASK-GARY® also partners with attorneys and lawyers who specialize in personal injury cases. We will listen to your case and match you with the right legal professional to maximize compensation and protect your rights!All you need to do is dial 1-866-939-4794 and call us. You can also visit our website to learn how our team can help you. Don’t wait. Get the proper medical and legal assistance for your joint pain.
