Tuesday, July 24, 2018

Total hip replacement surgery Baltimore gives patients a second chance

No one 100% wants to have a surgery that will cause them to miss out on months and months of their favorite activities and job duties, even if this surgery is necessary in order to help them feel better. Surgeries like rotator cuff or elbow surgery, ACL repair surgery and total hip replacement surgery are examples of these types of procedures - no matter how helpful they are in the long run, the surgical process and recovery period are not things that are looked forward to. It is important to remember a few things when faced with the potential of needing this type of procedure, because looking at the good down the road can help a great deal when dealing with the now.

What good can come from a total hip replacement surgery Baltimore?

First, this type of surgery is useful for people that still have a lot of life left in them, but have difficulty moving around. The hips are used on a daily basis, and it can be really difficult to enjoy each day, or even simply to get through it if there is a constant pain coming from the hip whenever a person is moving, standing, sitting or even trying to bend at the waist. Having a deteriorated hip joint can put a damper on many things like working or taking part in hobbies, so having it fixed will help to decrease the amount of things that people are kept from doing.

The hip replacement surgery Baltimore is meant to be a long term solution to a pain problem; these implants that are used and inserted into the body often last for at least 20 years, giving most people plenty of time to enjoy their lives once the surgery has healed. Rather than dealing with the pain as it gets worse over time, having the procedure done will be painful for a while, but then as it heals, the pain will decrease and range of motion will increase exponentially.

The things that most commonly cause total hip replacement surgery Baltimore to become necessary are arthritis and the deterioration of the hip joint’s bones over time. This doesn’t happen suddenly, and many people will live with the aches and pains that they experience because they feel as if it’s just a part of growing older. While hip replacement surgery can be performed on people of all ages as needed, it is most common in older individuals - but having it done can give these people a new lease on life and make it easier for them to continue enjoying their golden years.

The most important thing that will happen after having hip replacement surgery is that pain and discomfort typically are gone. Though the replacement joint might ache at certain times or make it difficult to bend quickly or move as easily as a natural hip joint would make it, the overall consensus is that these minor inconveniences are well worth it when considering all of the other benefits.

Sunday, July 22, 2018

Questions to ask a total hip replacement doctor Baltimore MD

Getting a hip replacement surgery is something that many people look forward to, even though there’s a lot of things to consider about the procedure itself. To prepare, it is a good idea to ask any and all questions that you can think of when consulting with your surgeon. This will not only prepare you for what is to come during the surgery, but also after.

Where to start with total hip replacement doctor Baltimore questions


Most people are concerned with the overall nature of the procedure. This means that having questions like “how long will the surgery take” and “what will happen to me during the procedure” are common. The answers will vary depending on the nature of the procedure that is being performed, but your surgeon should be able to give you a good idea as to what to expect when it comes to these inquiries. Other questions about the procedure itself include:
- How can I prepare for the total hip replacement surgery?
- When do I need to be at the hospital?
- Do I need to stay in the hospital to recover for multiple days?
- Will I be in pain after the surgery has been completed?
Don’t be afraid to ask a lot of questions, even if they aren’t listed here. The more prepared you are, the better.

A total hip replacement doctor Baltimore can answer questions about aftercare, too.

The surgery itself is important, but it’s also necessary to prepare for what comes after - for how you’ll feel once you’ve gone home and are healing up. While each case of recovery will differ depending on the patient and their overall health, there are some questions that can be asked of a total hip replacement doctor Baltimore that can help people get their homes and lives in order even before the surgery has been done.

- Will I be able to walk throughout my home and go up and down stairs?
- Can I sit down normally, or will I have to recline?
- How often will I need to change the bandages on my surgical site?
- Do I need to use a cane or a walker?
- Will I experience a lot of pain as I heal?
- How soon can I expect to be walking normally?
- When am I allowed to drive?
Be willing to take the advice of your doctors, because they have dealt with patients in your same situation many, many times before.

Friday, July 20, 2018

Hip pain may be a sign that it’s time to seek out a hip replacement doctor Baltimore

Who needs a hip replacement doctor Baltimore?

The body is designed to work fluidly, allowing people to go through their days and participate in a variety of activities and situations, each different from the next. One of the hardest working joints in the body is the hip joint - and to make things more interesting, there are two of them, responsible for making activities like standing, sitting, walking, running, driving, lifting, exercising and even simply laying down more comfortable and simple. When there are issues with the hips, life may feel like it’s made more complicated, so it’s important to stay on top of the signs and symptoms that may be an indication of a greater underlying issue that could result in the need for a hip replacement surgery.

Symptoms to watch out for before consulting with a hip replacement doctor Baltimore

First, it is extremely important to understand that just because the following symptoms may occur, surgery might not be the first or best option for patients. Since a hip replacement surgery is something that takes a lot of time and effort to recover from, not every doctor will recommend it for those that are experiencing mild pain or early symptoms… and not every patient will want to choose this route right off the bat, either. For more information on medical facilities and teams that specialize in hip surgery, visit https://www.medstarunionortho.org/treatments/hip/total-hip-replacement/.

Hip, groin or joint pain: Pain in this area, especially if it is long lasting or severe may be a sign that there is something seriously wrong beneath the skin’s surface. The pain tends to center around the hip joint, but may radiate downward toward the knee. For some, taking medications and eliminating the activities that seem to cause this hip pain might be enough to correct the situation, but for others, these things will not work.

Stiffness, especially when getting up out of bed: It’s normal for people’s bodies to age and deteriorate, especially if they are employed in a physically demanding job, or they have an athletic hobby. Typical, short term stiffness and pain as the result of a strenuous activity is nothing to worry about, but if this stiffness makes it difficult to do simple things like get dressed, put on shoes, or bend over for multiple days at a time, a hip replacement doctor Baltimore might be the best choice for a consult.

Balance issues: Though people aren’t flamingos and they aren’t comfortable balancing on one foot for long periods of time, they should be able to do so for at least a minute without difficulty or pain, especially when using something for balance like a railing, table, chair or wall. If this isn’t possible, and the hip seems to “give out” or becomes painful, there is likely something wrong that can only be corrected via interference from a medical professional’s preferred treatment method.

Wednesday, July 18, 2018

Benefits of a Surgical Procedure for Severe Back Pain Baltimore MD

Throughout the history of medicine, many different kinds of treatments have come in and out of fashion; they have been either improved or disproved with trial and error.  Back pain has been a long-standing problem that has proven difficult for doctors to address up to the present time.  There are, however, now much better options.  The laminectomy is one procedure for severe back pain Baltimore MD that seeks to resolve pain in the soft nerve structures of the spinal column by removing any bony structures that are unnecessarily constricting them.  Spinal fusion can be used to join together two or more vertebrae into a singular piece of bone in order to limit bodily movement that is pulling on nerve structures and subsequently causing discomfort.

Procedure for Back Pain Baltimore:  Positive Outcomes

 Many folks have a lot of fear around having a surgical procedure for severe back pain Baltimore.  While there are some patients who end up feeling like their back surgery really was not worthwhile in terms of the pain relief achieved in comparison to the suffering and expense of the procedure, many folks do report positive outcomes.  Some of these include the following:
  • The general ability to move around in any environment improves, making even everyday tasks like showering and grocery shopping require less time and energy.  Once the individual is no longer so constantly exhausted from just getting by each day, the overall quality of their life is likely to improve.
  • People who have less pain tend to exercise more and be more physically fit.  This can result in the improvement, or even the complete alleviation, of lifestyle-related conditions like diabetes and heart disease.  The outcome might even be a longer life.
  • Mood tends to improve in the absence of chronic pain.  Feeling depressed and dissatisfied are common outcomes for individuals who are hurting and unable to move around and engage in pleasurable activities.  Some patients who have had good pain relief outcomes with back surgery have even been able to discontinue medical treatment for mental health conditions like depression and dysthymia.

Saturday, July 14, 2018

Eldercare for Lumbar Laminectomy Recovery Baltimore

Over the past twenty years or so, there has been a lot written about the "sandwich generation".  This is a popular culture term that refers to adults who may be in the middle- to late-middle-age range, and therefore have the dual responsibility of caring for both their children and their aging parents.  For some, this can be a very stressful time that offers seemingly few rewards.  Others may feel grateful for the opportunity to repay their parents for the nurturing they previously offered.  This short article is intended to help busy individuals plan to effectively support an elder friend or family member during lumbar laminectomy recovery Baltimore.

After a Lumbar Laminectomy Baltimore MD

A lumbar laminectomy is a surgery that is meant to relieve chronic pain of the lower back.  While it is not an especially complicated or dangerous surgery, recovery can be quite challenging and require a lot of effort on the part of the patient.  Here are a few important points for those who are offering support to an elder during lumbar laminectomy recovery Baltimore MD.

  • Some people are able to devote a lot of their own time to taking care of aging parents or other elders who are recovering from various medical procedures.  Others are prevented from doing so by financial constraints, demanding careers, or family obligations around children and their school activities.  The most important thing for any of these folks to do is to let go of guilt around what is not possible.  Adding more unpleasant feelings and negative self-regard to what may already be a stressful situation will not be helpful to anyone.
  • The time to start planning support for the surgical patient's recovery is before the surgery.  If a professional caregiving service will be used, it is necessary to check out the possible options.  Many of these kinds of agencies do not pay their employees very well and have a lot of turnover.  It might be useful to consider hiring an independent caregiver.  Once the caregiver is identified, they can begin to companion the surgical patient to medical appointments, thereby learning what to expect after the surgery.

Tuesday, July 10, 2018

What to look for in a total knee replacement doctor Baltimore

How a total knee replacement doctor Baltimore can improve your life

No one wants to have surgery, even if it means that the surgery can make things easier for them down the road. This is especially true of surgeries that are invasive, meaning that the recovery period will take weeks, if not months to get patients back to normal. Though there are many areas of the body that get used repetitively each and every day, some of the most operated on areas are the ones that are parts of the arms and legs, simply because they are under stress from many different parts of day to day life. For instance, total knee replacement surgery is often needed by people as they age, but also by athletes that are involved in high intensity sports like running, swimming, biking or even sports that involve close contact with other players. If the knee joint becomes injured, or it wears down to the point that it is no longer stable or able to support people in their day to day activities, it may be time to look into knee surgery to correct the problems.

Where to find a total knee replacement doctor Baltimore

The first place that many people look for advice and potential surgeons is online, because there is so much available information about each medical professional. By doing simple web searches for things like “knee replacement doctors” and “total knee replacement surgery Baltimore”, Maryland residents can learn about not only the process of the surgery and what is available to them, but also about who is available to treat them. This type of information search is also great if people are looking to set up initial appointments, based on either a recommendation from their PCP (primary care physician), or their sports doctor.

Learning about the surgery is important, because it can prepare patients for the recovery process, but it’s also imperative to understand who will be operating on them. Why?

- Surgeons that have a lot of experience will often be able to be more precise and do the procedure without disturbing much of the surrounding muscle or tissue.
- A total knee replacement doctor Baltimore will know how to best approach not only the surgery, but the rehabbing, too.
- The more knowledgeable about the surgery a medical professional is, the more at ease patients are apt to feel. Being calm and collected can go a long way toward making even a big surgery like a total knee replacement Baltimore feel less terrifying for patients.

Thursday, July 5, 2018

Paying for a Spinal Fusion Doctor Baltimore

The rising cost of medical care in the United States has been a topic of discussion in various media outlets for many years now.  With private insurance plans becoming more and more complex, and a wider variety of government insurance programs becoming available to people at all income levels, this is not a discussion that is likely to go away anytime soon.  Figuring out how to fund a significantly expensive, quality of life improving surgery is often not an easy task.  Affording the surgery will be a significant piece of selecting a spinal fusion doctor Baltimore.

Choosing a Spinal Fusion Doctor Baltimore MD

Except in cases of a severe traumatic injury to the spine, spinal fusion surgery is usually elective and only becomes an option after other, less invasive options like physical therapy and medication have been tried.  Therefore, the patient and their support system should have enough time to make the necessary arrangements to pay for the operation, and also to select the best possible spinal fusion surgery doctor Baltimore (https://www.medstarunionortho.org).  Here are a few key points:
  • This surgery needs to be performed by an orthopedic surgeon who specializes in operating on the spine.  Occasionally, it is done by a neurological surgeon, or there will be a consulting doctor of neurology.  One of the first steps will be for the patient to decide what kind of treatment team will make them feel comfortable.
  • Most people know what kind of insurance they have.  If not, it is necessary to find out at this time.  Since spinal fusion is usually considered an elective procedure, it will probably be necessary to obtain a pre-approval from the insurer, whether it is a private or government insurance company.  Since many insurance plans include a deductible, which is a portion of the cost that must be paid by the patient, it is also necessary to find out if there is an out-of-pocket cost and make plans to pay for this part.
  • Once the questions of treatment team and insurance coverage have been addressed, it is possible for the patient to select the best possible doctor to perform the spinal fusion surgery Baltimore within a reasonable geographic distance.