Over the years, daily activity takes its toll on your joints. You can be fit and have an active, healthy lifestyle – but that doesn’t mean you aren’t vulnerable to injuries and diseases of the musculoskeletal system.
Severe arthritis can cause chronic pain in your joints, so doctors are constantly trying to find innovative ways to treat this and relieve the patient of further pain. One of these options that is now being performed on patients is orthopedic fusion surgery.
Your doctor may recommend this treatment if other treatments have not worked for you. Let’s talk about what joint-fusion surgery is and how it can help relieve your pain.
What Is Joint Fusion?
Joint-fusion surgery (arthrodesis) can help reduce or eliminate joint pain in your shoulder, wrist, hand, ankle, or foot. It entails the fusion of the ends of two bones that are connected at a joint.
Once the bones in the joint that is experiencing pain are fused together, the fused bones become one – allowing you to now put pressure on that area without pain. The joint is immobilized, but patients usually prefer the slight disability over the constant pain.
Orthopedic joint-fusion surgery is an option when other methods do not work, and the pain in your joint area becomes increasingly unbearable. Below are some of the surgery options that are now available:
Ankle Fusion Surgery
Ankle fusion surgery provides relief from arthritis. Similar to problems in the spine, if usual treatment and medication do not work for you, your orthopedic surgeon may suggest this type of fusion surgery.
With this surgery, the ankle cartilage is removed, and the bones fuse together as it heals. The joint that causes the pain is therefore removed altogether. The area is still useful, but mobility of the area is limited.
Foot Fusion Surgery
In this type of orthopedic joint fusion, the joint in your foot that is causing pain and impeding your daily activities is fused into a solid piece – and this treatment should eliminate or greatly lessen the pain. This surgery is for severe foot arthritis, infections, and fractures.
Wrist Fusion Surgery
The wrist joints that are causing pain are taken out, allowing the bones to fuse and heal by themselves. Wrist fusion is used to treat joint pain that has not responded to simpler, traditional methods.
Recovery from This Type of Surgery
It will take a while to heal from this surgery, so bed rest is highly suggested for months as you recuperate from the operation. Since this is dealing with bone growth, your body’s healing process is sensitive; hence, the operated area should remain immobile while it heals.
Your doctor will check the progress of your healing bones during recuperation. If the bones heal awkwardly and are misaligned, this can cause even more pain than they did before.
Who Can Treat My Joint Pain?
If you’d like to find out more about orthopedic fusion surgery or ways to minimize joint pain, contact us today.
Call Bowen Hefley Orthopedics at (800) 336-2412 or fill out our online form to schedule your appointment online now!
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