What No One Tells You About Knee Replacement in Las Vegas, NV

Being told that you need to have surgery can be scary. Your head fills up with questions almost immediately: Why is this happening? What if my insurance doesn’t cover the procedure? Can I forego surgery and still be okay? One such possible surgery is for a knee replacement. Though not at all an uncommon type of surgery, the mere thought of going under the knife can cause concern in some people.

In knee replacement surgery, the procedure involves surgeons removing damaged bone, cartilage and ligaments in order to add an artificial joint made of durable metal and plastic. Surgery is recommended to those who’ve suffered for years with pain and mobility issues. Sometimes this needs to be done after a serious knee injury, where surgery is the only viable option for a full recovery. The surgical team’s goal is for patients to leave the hospital feeling great again.

Now, here are some of the things you might not know about knee replacement in Las Vegas, NV—before and after surgery:

• Not every person is a good candidate for surgery: For most people with a bad knee, knee replacement surgery is beneficial. But the pain must be truly persistent and debilitating. A lot of cases turn out to only need physical therapy to strengthen the knee and surrounding tissue, or the pain was discovered to actually be the result of nerve pain or a circulation issue, not a bad knee. This is why, if the knee does not appear to need immediate surgery, a good surgeon will suggest you try other measures first.
• It’s very painful: Of course there’s going to be a certain level of pain after surgery, but what most people don’t know is that the result of knee replacement surgery hurts more than they think—and more so early on. Remember, the surgeons have to cut through bone, ligaments and cartilage in the area of a major joint in your body. The best thing you can do for yourself is to prepare for post-surgery pain.
• Recovery time is not a walk in the park: A surgery of this degree can cause your knee and leg to swell up. You should expect to be bruised and swollen for several weeks, if not months—the amount of recovery time depends on how fast your body tends to heal. Walking will be difficult and driving is largely out of the question, so you will have to rely on help from someone during your recovery period.
• The pain meds can make you feel strange: If you are not a regular user of any type of painkiller, then brace yourself, because you are probably going to feel really weird on four to eight weeks of heavy prescription pain medication. You might hallucinate or feel depressed—read up on the side effects of your prescriptions and how to cope with them. Your doctor will wean you off the medication toward the end of your recovery period.

You don’t have to live in pain anymore! Dr. Bernard Ong, M.D. is one of the best medical professionals you can go to for knee replacement in the Las Vegas, NV area. Contact our offices today to schedule a consultation

Categorized in: Knee Replacement

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